THE HOLD OF THE TRITONIA.
Raimundo was in the hold of the Tritonia.
He had made for himself a hiding–place under
the dunnage in the run, by removing a quantity of
ballast, and arranging a number of empty casks so as
to conceal his retreat from any who might search the
hold for him. The task had been ingeniously accomplished;
and those who looked for him had examined
every hole and corner above the ballast, that could
possibly hold a person of his size; and they had no
suspicion that there was room even for a cat under
the dunnage.
The young Spaniard had fully considered his situation
before he ventured into the waters of Spain. He
was fully prepared for the event that had occurred.
The plan of his hiding–place was his own; but he
knew that he could not make it, or remain in it for any
considerable time, without assistance. If he spent a
week or even three days in his den, he must have food
and drink. He did not believe the squadron would
remain many weeks in Spanish waters; and it was his
purpose to stay in the hold during this time, if he
found it necessary to do so. A confederate was therefore
indispensable to the success of the scheme.
Certain work required to be done in the hold, such
as getting up stores and keeping every thing in order,
was divided among the stewards. Those employed in
the cabin attended to the after–hold, and those in the
steerage to the fore–hold. One of the former was a
Cuban mulatto, a very bright fellow, who spoke Spanish
as well as English. Raimundo had become quite intimate
with him, because they both spoke their native
tongue, which it was pleasant to each to hear, and the
steward had become very fond of him. His name was
Hugo; and Raimundo was confident the man would be
his friend in the emergency.
During study hours, the vice–principal and the professors
were employed in the steerage. When the
quarter–watch to which the young Spaniard belonged
was off duty, instead of spending his time on deck as
his companions did in fine weather, he remained in
the cabin, which at times was entirely deserted. He
found that Hugo was willing to listen to him; and by
degrees he told him his whole story, as he had related
it to Scott, and disclosed the plan he intended to
adopt when his uncle or his agents should put in a
claim for him. Hugo was ready and anxious to take
part in the enterprise. There could be no doubt in
regard to his fidelity, for the steward would have perilled
his life in the service of the young Spaniard.
At a favorable time they visited the hold together;
and Raimundo indicated what was to be done in the
preparation of the hiding–place. Both of them worked
at the job. The ballast taken from the hold was carefully
distributed in other places under the dunnage.
Hugo had charge of the after–hold, and his being there
so much excited no suspicion.
When the ship’s company returned, after the lecture,
Raimundo waited in the cabin till he was alone with
Hugo; for all hands were on deck, observing the
strange scenes around them. He then descended to
the hold, and deposited himself in the den prepared
for him. His faithful confederate had lined it with
old garments and pieces of sail–cloth, so that the place
was not as uncomfortable as it might have been. The
“mysterious disappearance” had been duly effected.
Hugo carried food and drink to his charge in the
morning, and left a pail of water for his ablutions, if
he chose to make them. Of course the steward was
very nervous while the several searches were in progress;
but, as he spoke Spanish, he was able to mislead
the _alguacil_, even while he professed to desire that
every part of the vessel should be examined. Hugo
not only provided food and water for the self–made
prisoner, but he informed him, when he could, what
was going on; so that he knew when all hands had
gone on shore, and was duly apprised of the fact that
the Josephines and Tritonias were to proceed to Lisbon
in the Prince. But the steward dared not remain long
in the hold, while Salter was in the cabin. Raimundo
wanted to get on board of the steamer that day or
night, if it were possible; but the chances were all
against him.
Hugo assured him that it would be entirely safe
for him to leave his hiding–place, as he could easily
keep out of the way of any chance visitor in the
hold, and he would notify him if another search was
likely to be made. Availing himself of this permission,
Raimundo crawled out of his hole. It was a
relief to his limbs to stretch them; and he exercised
himself as freely as he could. While he was thus engaged,
he saw the fore–scuttle opened, and some one
come down. The fugitive stepped behind the mainmast.
He saw the figure of one of the students, as he
judged that he was from his size, moving stealthily in
the gloom of the place. In a moment more, he rushed
up the steps, and disappeared. In an instant afterwards,
Raimundo saw a flame flash up from the pile of
rubbish.
The vessel was on fire, or she soon would be; for
there was fire near her timbers. Grasping the bucket
of water Hugo had left for his ablutions, he poured
enough on the fire to extinguish it, and then retreated
to the covert of the mainmast. A second time the
incendiary–match was applied; and again the fugitive
put it out with the contents of the pail. For the third
time the incendiary pile that was to doom the beautiful
Tritonia to destruction was lighted; and this time
the wretch who applied the match evidently intended
to remain till the flames were well under way. The
fugitive was greatly disturbed; for, if he showed himself
to the incendiary, he would betray his secret, and
expose his presence. But he could not hesitate to save
the vessel at whatever consequences to himself; and,
as soon as he saw the blaze, he rushed aft, accosted
the villain, and stamped out the fire, for he had entirely
emptied the pail.
“What are you about, you villain? Do you mean to
burn the vessel?” demanded Raimundo, who did not
yet know who the incendiary was.
Bill Stout was startled, not to say overwhelmed, by
this unexpected interference with his plans. He recognized
the second master, whose mysterious disappearance
had excited so much astonishment. But he
was prompt to see, that, if Raimundo had detected him
in a crime, he had possession of the fugitive’s secret.
Somebody on shore wanted the second master, and an
officer had come on board for him. Perhaps he was
guilty of some grave misdemeanor, and for that reason
would not allow himself to be caught; for none of the
students except Scott knew why the young Spaniard
was required on shore. Bill Stout did not care: he
only saw that it was an even thing between himself and
Raimundo.
“Who are you?” asked the fugitive, when he had
waited a moment for an answer to his first question.
“I advise you not to speak too loud, Mr. Raimundo,
unless you wish to have the chief steward know you are
here,” replied Bill, when he had recovered his self–possession,
and taken a hurried view of the situation.
“Stout!” exclaimed Raimundo, identifying the familiar
voice.
But he spoke in a low tone, for he was not disposed
to summon Mr. Salter to the hold, though he had felt
that he sacrificed himself and his plan when he showed
himself to the incendiary.
“That’s my name,” replied the young villain.
“I understand what you were scheming at in your
watch on deck. Lingall, Pardee, and Gibbs are your
associates in this rascality,” added Raimundo.
Stout, who was not before aware that he had been
watched by the second master or by any other officer,
was rather taken aback by this announcement; but he
promptly denied that the students named were concerned
in the affair.
“Lingall is with you, I know. I see how you have
managed the affair. He is your companion in the brig,
which was built over the midship scuttle,” continued
Raimundo. “But why do you desire to burn the vessel?”
“Because I want to get out of her,” replied Bill sullenly.
“But I can’t stop here to talk.”
“Do you really mean to burn the Tritonia?”
“That’s what I did mean; but, since you have found
me out, I shall not be likely to do it now.”
“Whatever you do, don’t do that. You are in the
waters of Spain now, and I don’t know but you would
have to be tried and punished for it in this country.”
Bill Stout had no idea of being tried and punished
for the crime in any country; and he had not even considered
it a crime when he thought of the matter. He
did not expect to be found out when he planned the
job: villains never expect to be. But he was alarmed
now; and the deed he had attempted seemed to be a
hundred times more wicked and dangerous than at any
time before.
“I can’t stop here: Salter will miss me if I do,”
added Bill, moving up the ladder.
“Wait a minute,” interposed Raimundo, who was
willing to save himself from exposure if he could.
“I’ll come down again, after a while,” answered Bill,
as he opened the scuttle, and got into the brig.
“Why did you stay down so long?” demanded Bark
Lingall nervously.
“It’s all up now, and we can’t do any thing,” replied
Bill sullenly, as he seated himself on his stool,
and picked up one of his books.
“What’s the matter?”
“We are found out.”
“Found out!” exclaimed Bark; and his heart rose
into his throat at the announcement. “How can that
be?”
“I was seen doing it.”
“Who saw you?”
“You couldn’t guess in a month,” added Bill, who
fixed his gaze on his book while he was talking.
“Didn’t I hear you speaking to some one in the
hold, Bill?” asked Bark, as he picked up a book, in
order to follow the studious example of his companion.
“I was speaking to some one,” replied Bill.
“Who was it?”
“Raimundo; and he knew that you were concerned
in the job without my mentioning your name;” and
Bill explained what had passed between himself and
the second master.
“Raimundo!” exclaimed Bark, in a musing manner.
“Then he mysteriously disappeared into the hold.”
“He did; and he has us where the hair is short,”
added Bill.
“And perhaps we have him where the hair is long
enough to get hold of. All we have to do is to tell
Salter, when he comes to look at us, that Raimundo is
in the hold.”
“We won’t do it; and then Raimundo won’t say we
set the vessel on fire,” protested Bill.
“Wait a bit, Bill. He is a spooney, a chaplain’s
lamb. He may keep still till he gets out of his own
scrape, whatever it may be, and then blow on us when
he is safe himself.”
“I don’t know: I shall see him again after Salter
has paid us another visit.”
The chief steward came into the steerage a few
minutes later; and seeing both of the prisoners engaged
in study, as he supposed, he probably believed the hour
of reformation had come. As soon as he had gone,
Bill opened the scuttle again, and went down into the
hold; but he was unwilling to leave the brig for more
than a few moments at a time, lest some accident should
betray his absence to the chief steward. He arranged
a plan by which he could talk with Raimundo without
danger from above. Returning to the brig, he lay down
on the floor, with a book in his hand, so that his head
was close to the scuttle. Bark was seated on the floor,
also with a book in his hand, in such a position as to
conceal the trap–door, which was raised a few inches,
from the gaze of Mr. Salter, if he should happen
suddenly to enter the steerage. Raimundo was to stand
on the steps of the ladder, with his head on a level
with the cabin floor, where he could hear Bill, and be
heard by him.
“I think we can’t afford to quarrel,” said Bill magnanimously.
“We are all in the same boat now. I
suppose you are wanted on shore for some dido you cut
up before you left your home.”
“I did nothing wrong before I left my home,” replied
Raimundo; and it galled him terribly to be
obliged to make terms with the rascals in the brig.
“My trouble is simply a family affair; and, if captured,
I shall be subjected to no penalty whatever.”
“Is that all?” asked Bill, sorry it was no worse.
“That’s all; but for reasons I don’t care to explain,
I do not wish to be taken back to my uncle in Barcelona.
But I will give myself up before I will let you
burn the Tritonia,” replied Raimundo, with no little
indignation in his tones.
“Of course, as things stand now, we shall not burn
the vessel,” added Bill: “we will make a fair trade
with you.”
“I shall make no trades of any kind; but I leave
you free to do what you think best, and I shall remain
so myself,” said Raimundo, who was too high–toned to
bargain with fellows wicked enough to burn the beautiful
Tritonia. “It is enough that I wish to get away
from this city.”
“If you clear out, you won’t blow on us,” added
Bill, willing to put the best construction on the statement
of the second master.
“I promise nothing; but this I say: if you burn the
Tritonia, whether I am on board or a thousand miles
away, I will inform the principal who set the fire.”
“Of course we should not do any thing of that sort
now,” added Bark, whose head was near enough to the
scuttle to enable him to hear all that was said.
“I shall be obliged to keep out of the way of all on
board, for the present at least,” said Raimundo.
“We are satisfied with that,” replied Bill, who
seemed to be in haste to reach some other branch of
the subject.
“Very well: then there is nothing more to be said,”
answered Raimundo, who was quite willing to close
the interview at this point.
The conspirators were not so willing; for the chance
of escape held out to them by the burning of the
vessel was gone, and they were very much dissatisfied
with the situation. It would be madness to repeat the
attempt to destroy the vessel; and the future looked
very unpromising. All hands were going off on a very
desirable cruise in the steamer. Ben Pardee and Lon
Gibbs had apparently deserted them when tempted by
the voyage to Lisbon. They had a dismal prospect of
staying in the brig, under the care of Marline and
Rimmer, for the next three weeks.
The second master had plenty of time to think over
his arrangements for the next week or two; and he was
not much better satisfied with the immediate prospect
for the future, than were the occupants of the brig.
His accommodations were far less comfortable than
theirs; and the experience of a single night had caused
him to fear that he might take cold and be sick.
Besides, he had not calculated that the Tritonia was to
lie at this port for two or three weeks, thus increasing
the danger and discomfort of his situation. If he had
to abandon his hiding–place, he preferred to take his
chances at any other port rather than Barcelona. It
was more than probable that Marline and Rimmer would
overhaul the hold, and re–stow the boxes and barrels
while the vessel was at anchor; and possibly the principal
had ordered some repairs at this favorable time.
His chance of getting on board of the Prince before
she sailed was too small to afford him any hope. The
change the principal had made in the programme interfered
sadly with his calculations. Mr. Lowington had
made this alteration in order to enable the students to
visit the northern and central parts of the peninsula
before the weather became too cold to permit them to
do so with any degree of comfort. The fugitive was
willing, therefore, to change his plans if it was possible.
“Hold on a minute,” interposed Bill Stout, when
Raimundo was about to descend the ladder. “What
are you going to do with yourself while the vessel lies
here for the next three weeks?”
“I shall have to keep out of sight in the hold,”
replied the second master.
“But you can’t do that. You will starve to death.”
“I have looked out for that.”
Though Bill Stout asked some questions on this
point, Raimundo declined to say in what manner he
had provided for his rations.
“Do you know who are in charge on board now?”
asked Bill.
“Only Mr. Salter and one of the stewards,” replied
the fugitive.
“Why don’t you use your chance while Marline and
Rimmer are ashore, and leave the vessel? You can
get away without being seen.”
“I can’t get out of the vessel without going through
the cabin where Mr. Salter is,” answered Raimundo;
but the suggestion gave him a lively hope.
“Yes, you can: you can get out by the fore–scuttle, go
over the bow, and roost on the bobstay till a shore
boat comes along,” added Bill. “Only you musn’t let
the steward see you. Salter is in the cabin, and he
won’t know any thing about it.”
Raimundo was grateful for the suggestion, though
he was not willing to acknowledge it, considering the
source from which it came. Hugo would help him,
instead of being a hinderance. The steward would call
a boat, and have it all ready for him when he got out
of the vessel. He could even keep Mr. Salter in the
cabin, while he made his escape, by engaging his attention
in some matter of business.
“I will see what I can do,” said the fugitive as he
left the ladder.
He went aft to the cabin ladder, and raised the
scuttle an inch. Hugo was setting the table for Mr.
Salter’s lunch. He saw the trap–door raised, and he
immediately went below for a jar of pickles. In five
minutes Raimundo had recited his plan to him. In
five minutes more Hugo had a boat at the bow of
the Tritonia, waiting for its passenger. At half–past
twelve, Hugo called Mr. Salter to his lunch; and,
when this gentleman took his seat at the table, Hugo
raised the trap, and slammed it down as though it had
not been in place before. Raimundo understood the
signal.
The fugitive went forward, and ascended to the
deck by the fore–scuttle. He was making his way over
the bow when he found that he was followed by Bill
Stout and Bark Lingall.
“What are you doing here?” demanded Raimundo,
astonished and annoyed at the action of the incendiaries.
“We are going with you,” replied Bill Stout. “Over
with you! if you say a word, we will call Salter.”
Raimundo dropped into the boat that was waiting
for him, and the villains from the brig followed him.