As my feet touched the barque's deck, I flung a lightning glance about
me to gather as much information as possible, not knowing but that at
any moment such knowledge might be of priceless value to me. The craft
was somewhat bigger than I had at first set her down to be, being of
fully four hundred, or maybe four hundred and fifty, tons measurement.
Looking for'ard to the swell of her bows, I saw that she must evidently
be of a motherly build, which accorded well with the fact that she had
lost steerage-way long before such had been the case with the brig. Her
decks were in a very dirty and untidy condition, looking as though they
had not been washed down, or even swept, for at least a week, and they
were lumbered up with quite an unusual number of spars and booms. Yet
she was evidently a passenger ship, for the cabin under her full poop
was brilliantly lighted up, and through its open door I caught a glimpse
of several men and women so attired as to at once proclaim their status
on board; moreover, the quarter-deck was also occupied by a group of men
and women, evidently passengers, with two or three sailorly-looking men
among them, over whom a party of O'Gorman's people were mounting guard,
the remainder being stationed on guard over the fore-scuttle, down which
I presumed the barque's crew had been driven.
My attention was almost instantly attracted toward the little party on
the quarter-deck, and especially toward a grey-haired man in uniform,
whom I imagined might be the skipper. I advanced toward the party, with
a bow, and said, in French:
"I wish to speak to the captain of this vessel: may I ask if he happens
to be among you?"
The old gentleman in uniform at once advanced a pace and, acknowledging
my salute by raising his gold-laced cap, answered:
"I am he. And I demand to know, monsieur, by what right you and your
crew of ruffians have dared to run aboard me in this outrageous fashion,
driving my crew below, stationing a guard athwart my decks, and
frightening my passengers very nearly out of their senses. Are you
pirates, or what?"
"Monsieur," answered I, "there is nothing to be gained by attempting to
deceive you, and I will therefore at once say that I fear you will find
that you have fallen into the hands of pirates. The big man beside me
is their captain, while I, and a young lady aboard the brig, have the
misfortune to be their prisoners. I shall probably not be afforded an
opportunity to explain to you the unfortunate situation of the young
lady and myself; but as soon as I became aware of the intention of these
men to board you I prepared a letter which will explain everything--it
is unfortunately written in English, but that, I am sure, will prove no
obstacle to you. This letter I will presently endeavour to pass,
unobserved, to one of you; and if you will kindly act in accordance with
the request set forth therein, you will very greatly oblige two most
unhappy people."
"Monsieur," said the Frenchman, "I will gladly do anything in my power
to help you; but as to effecting your rescue--" he glanced expressively
at O'Gorman and his companions, and shrugged his shoulders in a way that
very clearly indicated his helplessness.
Here O'Gorman cut in. "Well, what has the ould chap got to say for
himsilf?" he demanded.
"Why," answered I, "you heard what he said. He wants to know what we
mean by boarding his ship in this outrageous fashion and driving his
crew below."
"Ask him what is the name of his ship, where he is from, and where bound
to," ordered the Irishman.