PLEADING FOR LIFE.
The Pacific is not always calm, but neither is it always stormy. We
think it necessary to make this latter observation because the
succession of short-lived gales and squalls which have been prominently
and unavoidably brought forward in our tale might lead the reader to
deem the name of this ocean inappropriate.
The gale blew itself out a few hours after the destruction of the
Talisman, and left the Foam becalmed within sight of Sandy Cove island,
almost on the same spot of ocean where she lay when we introduced her to
the reader in the first chapter.
Although the sea was not quite so still now, owing to the swell caused
by the recent gale, it was quite as glassy as it was then. The sun, too,
was as hot, and the sky as brilliant; but the aspect of the Foam was
much changed. The deep quiet was gone. Crowded on every part of the
deck, and even down in her hold, were the crew of the man-of-war,
lolling about listlessly and sadly, or conversing with grave looks about
the catastrophe which had deprived them so suddenly of their floating
home. Gascoyne and Henry leaned over the stern, to avoid being overheard
by those around them, and conversed in low tones.
"But why not attempt to escape?" said the latter, in reply to some
observation made by his companion.
"Because I am pledged to give myself up to justice."
"No; not to justice," replied the youth quickly. "You said you would
give yourself up to me and Mr. Mason, I for one won't act the part of
a--a--"
"Thief-catcher," suggested Gascoyne.
"Well, put it so if you will; and I am certain that the missionary will
not have anything to do with your capture. He will say that the officers
of justice are bound to attend to such matters. It would be perfectly
right in you to try to escape."
"Ah, Henry! your feelings have warped your judgment," said Gascoyne,
shaking his head. "It is strange how men will prevaricate and deceive
themselves when they want to reason themselves into a wrong course or
out of a right one. But what you or Mr. Mason think or will do has
nothing to do with my course of action."
"But the law holds, if I mistake not, that a man is not bound to
criminate himself," said Henry.
"I know not and care not what the law of man holds," replied the other
sadly. "I have forfeited my life to my country, and I am willing to lay
it down."
"Nay, not your life," said Henry; "you have done no murder."
"Well, then, at least my liberty is forfeited. I shall leave it to those
who judge me whether my life shall be taken or no. I sometimes wish that
I could get away to some distant part of the world, and there, by living
the life of an honest man, try to undo, if possible, a little of what I
have done. But, woe's me, wishes and regrets come too late. No; I must
be content to reap what I have sown."
"They will be certain to hang you," said the youth, bitterly.
"I think it likely they will," replied his companion.
"And would you call that justice?" asked Henry, sharply. "Whatever
punishment you may deserve, you do not deserve to die. You know well
enough that your word will go for nothing, and no one else can bear
witness in your favor. You will be regarded simply as a notorious
pirate. Even if some of the people whose lives you have spared while
taking their goods should turn up, their testimony could not prove that
you had not murdered others; so your fate is certain if you go to trial.
Have you any right, then, to compass your own death by thus giving
yourself up?"
"Ah, boy, your logic is not sound."
"But answer my question," said the youth, testily.
"Henry, plead with me no longer," said Gascoyne, in a deep, stern tone.
"My mind is made up. I have spent many years in dishonesty and
self-deception. It is perhaps possible that by a life devoted to doing
good I might in the long run benefit men more than I have damaged them.
This is just possible, I say, though I doubt it; but I have _promised_
to give myself up whenever this cruise is at an end, and I won't break
the last promise I am likely to give in this world; so do not attempt to
turn me, boy."
Henry made no reply, but his knitted brows and compressed lips showed
that a struggle was going on within him. Suddenly he stood erect, and
said, firmly:
"Be it so, Gascoyne. I will hold you to your promise. You shall _not_
escape me!"
With this somewhat singular reply, Henry left his surprised companion,
and mingled with the crowd of men who stood on the quarter-deck.
A light breeze had now sprung up, and the Foam was gliding rapidly
towards the island. Gascoyne's deep voice was still heard at intervals
issuing a word of command, for, as he knew the reefs better than any one
else on board, Montague had intrusted him with the pilotage of the
vessel into harbor.
When they had passed the barrier-reef, and were sailing over the calm
waters of the enclosed lagoon in the direction of Sandy Cove, the young
officer went up to the pirate captain with a perplexed air and a degree
of hesitation that was very foreign to his character.
Gascoyne flushed deeply when he observed him. "I know what you would say
to me," he said, quickly. "You have a duty to perform. I am ready."
"Gascoyne," said Montague, with deep earnestness of tone and manner, "I
would willingly spare you this, but, as you say, I have a duty to
perform. I would, with all my heart, that it had fallen to other hands.
Believe me, I appreciate what you have done within the last few days,
and I believe what you have said in regard to yourself and your career.
All this, you may depend upon it, will operate powerfully with your
judges. But you know I cannot permit you to quit this vessel a _free
man_."
"I know it," said Gascoyne, calmly.
"And--and--" (here Montague stammered and came to an abrupt pause).
"Say on, Captain Montague. I appreciate your generosity in feeling for
me thus; but I am prepared to meet whatever awaits me."
"It is necessary," resumed Montague, "that you be manacled before I take
you on shore."
Gascoyne started. He had not thought of this. He had not fully realized
the fact that he was to be deprived of his liberty so soon. In the
merited indignity which was now to be put upon him, he recognized the
opening act of the tragedy which was to terminate with his life.
"Be it so," he said, lowering his head, and sitting down on a carronade,
in order to avoid the gaze of those who surrounded him.
While this was being done, the youthful Corrie was in the fore part of
the schooner whispering eagerly to Alice and Poopy.
"O Alice! I've seen him!" exclaimed the lad.
"Seen who?" inquired Alice, raising her pretty little eyebrows just the
smallest morsel.
"Why, the boatswain of the Talisman, Dick Price, you know, who jumped
overboard to save Henry when he fell off the raft. Come, I'll point him
out."
So saying, Corrie edged his way through the crowd until he could see the
windlass. Here, seated on a mass of chain cable, sat a remarkably rugged
specimen of the British boatswain. He was extremely short, excessively
broad, uncommonly jovial, and remarkably hairy. He wore his round hat so
far on the back of his head that it was a marvel how it managed to hang
there, and smoked a pipe so black that the most powerful imagination
could hardly conceive of its ever having been white, and so short that
it seemed all head and no stem.
"That's him!" said Corrie, eagerly.
"Oh! is it?" replied Alice, with much interest.
"Hee! hee!" observed Poopy.
"Stand by to let go the anchor!" shouted Montague.
Instantly bustle and noise prevailed everywhere. The crew of the lost
frigate had started up on hearing the order, but having no stations to
run to, they expended the energy that had been awakened, in shuffling
about and opening an animated conversation in undertones.
Soon the schooner swept round the point that had hitherto shut out the
view of Sandy Cove, and a few minutes later the rattling of the chain
announced that the voyage of the Foam had terminated.
Immediately after, a boat was lowered, and Gascoyne was conveyed by a
party of marines to the shore, and lodged in the prison which had been
but recently occupied by our friend John Bumpus.
Mrs. Stuart had purposely kept out of the way when she heard of the
arrival of the Foam. She knew Gascoyne so well that she felt sure he
would succeed in recapturing his schooner. But she also knew that in
doing this he would necessarily release Montague from his captivity, in
which case it was certain that the pirate captain, having promised to
give himself up, would be led on shore a prisoner. She could not bear to
witness this; but no sooner did she hear of his being lodged in jail
than she prepared to visit him.
As she was about to issue from her cottage, Henry met her, and clasped
her in his arms. The meeting would have doubtless been a warmer one had
the mother known what a narrow escape her son had so recently had. But
Mrs. Stuart was accustomed to part from Henry for weeks at a time, and
regarded this return in much the same light as former home-comings,
except in so far as he had news of their lost friends to give her. She
welcomed him therefore with a kiss and a glad smile, and then hurried
him into the house to inquire about the result of the voyage.
"I have already heard of your success in finding Alice and our friends.
Come, tell me more."
"Have you heard how nearly I was lost, mother?"
"Lost!" exclaimed the widow, in surprise; "no, I have heard nothing of
that."
Henry rapidly narrated his escape from the wreck of the Wasp, and then,
looking earnestly in his mother's anxious face he said, slowly: "But you
do not ask for Gascoyne, mother. Do you know that he is now in the
jail?"
The widow looked perplexed. "I know it," said she, "I was just going to
see him when you came in."
"Ah, mother," said Henry, reproachfully, "why did you not tell me sooner
about Gascoyne?"
He was interrupted here by Corrie and Alice rushing into the room, the
latter of whom threw herself into the widow's arms and burst into tears,
while Master Corrie indulged in some eccentric bounds and cheers by way
of relieving his feelings. For some time Henry allowed them to talk
eagerly to each other; then he told Corrie and Alice that he had
something of importance to say to his mother, and led her into an
adjoining room.
Corrie had overheard the words spoken by Henry just as he entered, and
great was his curiosity to know what was the mystery connected with the
pirate captain. This curiosity was intensified when he heard a
half-suppressed shriek in the room where mother and son were closeted.
For one moment he was tempted to place his ear to the keyhole! But a
blush covered his fat cheeks at the very thought of acting such a
disgraceful part. Like a wise fellow, he did not give the tempter a
second opportunity, but, seizing the hand of his companion, said:
"Come along, Alice; we'll go seek for Bumpus."
Half an hour afterwards the widow stood at the jail door. The jailer was
an intimate friend, and considerately retired during the interview.
"O Gascoyne! has it come to this?" She sat down beside the pirate, and
grasped one of his manacled hands in both of hers.
"Even so, Mary; my hour has come. I do not complain of my doom. I have
brought it on myself."
"But why not try to escape?" said Mrs. Stuart, earnestly. "There are
some here who could aid you in the matter."
Here the widow attempted to reason with Gascoyne, as her son had done
before, but with similar want of success. Gascoyne remained immovable.
He did indeed betray deep emotion while the woman reasoned with him, in
tones of intense earnestness; but he would not change his mind. He said
that if Montague, as the representative of the law, would set him free
in consideration of what he had recently done, he would accept of
liberty; but nothing could induce him to escape.
Leaving him in this mode, Mrs. Stuart hurried to the cottage where
Montague had taken up his abode.
The young captain received her kindly. Having learned from Corrie all
about the friendship that existed between the widow and Gascoyne, he
listened with the utmost consideration to her.
"It is impossible," said he, shaking his head; "I _cannot_ set him
free."
"Do his late services weigh nothing with you?" pleaded the widow.
"My dear madam," replied Montague, sorrowfully, "you forget that I am
not his judge. I have no right to weigh the circumstances of his case.
He is a convicted and self-acknowledged pirate. My only duty is to
convey him to England, and hand him over to the officers of justice. I
sympathize with you, indeed I do; for you seem to take his case to heart
very much; but I cannot help you. I _must_ do my duty. The Foam will be
ready for sea in a few days. In it I shall convey Gascoyne to England."
"O Mr. Montague! I do take his case to heart, as you say, and no one on
this earth has more cause to do so. Will it interest you more in
Gascoyne, and induce you to use your influence in his favor, if I tell
you that--that--_he is my husband_?"
"Your husband!" cried Montague, springing up, and pacing the apartment
with rapid strides.
"Aye," said Mrs. Stuart, mournfully, covering her face with her hands.
"I had hoped that this secret would die with me and him; but in the hope
that it may help, ever so little, to save his life, I have revealed it
to you."
"Believe me, the secret shall be safe in my keeping," said Montague,
tenderly, as he sat down again, and drew his chair near to that of Mrs.
Stuart. "But, alas! I do not see how it is possible for me to help your
husband. I will use my utmost influence to mitigate his sentence; but I
cannot, I _dare_ not set him free."
The poor woman sat pale and motionless while the captain said this. She
began to perceive that all hope was gone, and felt despair settling down
on her heart.
"What will be his doom," said she, in a husky voice, "if his life is
spared?"
"I do not know. At least I am not certain. My knowledge of criminal law
is very slight, but I should suppose it would be transportation for--"
Montague hesitated, and could not find it in his heart to add the word
"life."
Without uttering a word, Mrs. Stuart rose, and, staggering from the
room, hastened with a quick, unsteady step toward her own cottage.