THE CHAMPION WHALER--THE CAPTAIN AND HIS CHILDREN--SIGHTS AT SEA--
FRIGATE-BIRDS AND FLYING-FISH--A BONITO--CATCHING ALBATROSSES--MUTINOUS
MUTTERINGS--A TIMELY WARNING.
"A prosperous voyage, and a quick return, Captain Tredeagle," said the
old pilot as he bade farewell to the commander of the _Champion_, which
ship he had piloted down the Mersey on her voyage to the Pacific.
"Thank you, pilot. I suppose it will be pretty nearly three years
before we are back again,--with a full cargo, I hope, and plenty of
dollars to keep the pot boiling at home. It's the last voyage I intend
to make; for thirty years knocking about at sea is enough for any man."
"Many say that, captain; but when the time comes they generally find a
reason for making one voyage more, to help them to start with a better
capital. But as you have got your young ones aboard, you will have
their company to cheer you."
As the old pilot stepped along the deck he shook hands with two young
people, a boy and a girl, who were standing near the gangway.
"Good-bye, Walter; good-bye, Miss Alice; look after father, and obey
him, and God will bless you. If we are all spared, I hope to see you,
Walter, grown into a tall young man; and you, Miss Alice, I suppose I
shan't know you again. Good-bye; Heaven protect you." Saying this, the
old pilot lowered himself into his boat alongside, and pulled away for
his cutter, which lay hove-to at a little distance.
The _Champion_ was a South Sea whaler of about four hundred tons burden;
with a crew, including Mr Andrew Lawrie, the surgeon, of fifty officers
and men. The chief object of the voyage was the capture of the sperm
whale,--which creature is found in various parts of the Pacific Ocean;
but as the war in which England had been engaged since the commencement
of the century was not over, she carried eight guns, which would serve
to defend her both against civilised enemies and the savage inhabitants
of the islands she was likely to visit. The usual license for carrying
guns, or "Letters of Marque," had been obtained for her by the owners;
she was thus able not only to defend herself, but to attack and capture,
if she could, any vessels of the enemy she might meet with. Captain
Tredeagle, being a peace-loving man, had no intention of exercising this
privilege,--his only wish being to dispose of the ventures he carried,
and to obtain by honest exertions a full cargo of sperm oil.
Walter and Alice waved their hands to the old pilot, as his little
vessel, close-hauled, stood away towards the mouth of the river. It
seemed to them that in parting from him the last link which bound them
to their native land was severed. They left many friends behind them;
but it was their father's wish that they should accompany him, and they
eagerly looked forward to the pleasure of seeing the beautiful islands
they were likely to visit, and witnessing the strange sights they
expected to meet with during the voyage.
While the pilot vessel was standing away, the head-yards of the
_Champion_ were swung round, the sails sheeted home; with a brisk
northerly wind, and under all the canvas she could carry, she ran
quickly down the Irish Channel.
"Here we are away at last," said Captain Tredeagle, as his children
stood by his side; "and now, Walter, we must make a sailor of you as
fast as possible. Don't be ashamed to ask questions, and get
information from any one who is ready to give it. Our old mate, Jacob
Shobbrok, who has sailed with me pretty nearly since I came to sea, is
as anxious to teach you as you can be to get instruction; but remember,
Walter, you must begin at the beginning, and learn how to knot and
splice, and reef, and steer, and box the compass, before you begin on
the higher branches of seamanship. You will learn fast enough, however,
if you keep your eyes and ears open and your wits about you, and try to
get at the why and wherefore of everything. Many fail to be worth much
at sea as well as on shore, because they are too proud to learn their A
B C. Just think of that, my son."
"I will do my best, father, to follow your advice," answered Walter, a
fine lad between fourteen and fifteen years of age. His sister Alice
was two years younger,--a fair, pretty-looking girl, with the hue of
health on her cheeks, which showed that she was well able to endure the
vicissitudes of climate, or any hardships to which she might possibly be
subjected at sea.
When Captain Tredeagle resolved to take his children with him, he had no
expectation of exposing them to dangers or hardships. He had been
thirty years afloat, and had never been wrecked, and he did not suppose
that such an occurrence was ever likely to happen to him. He forgot the
old adage, that "the pitcher which goes often to the well is liable to
be broken at last." He had lost his wife during his previous voyage,
and had no one on whom he could rely to take care of his motherless
children while he was absent from home. Walter had expressed a strong
wish to go to sea, so he naturally took him; and with regard to Alice,
of two evils he chose that which he considered the least. He had seen
the dangers to which girls deprived of a mother's watchful care are
exposed on shore, and he knew that on board his ship, at all events,
Alice would be safe from them. Having no great respect for the ordinary
female accomplishments of music and dancing, he felt himself fully
competent to instruct her in most other matters, while he rightly
believed that her mind would be expanded by visiting the strange and
interesting scenes to which during the voyage he hoped to introduce her.
"As for needle-work and embroidery, why, Jacob and I can teach you as
well as can most women; and our black fellow Nub will cut out your
dresses with all the skill and taste of a practised mantua-maker," he
had said when talking to Alice on the subject of her going.
Alice was delighted to accompany her father, and hoped to be a real
comfort to him. She would take charge of his cabin and keep it in
beautiful order, and repair his clothes, and take care that a button was
never wanting; and would pour out his coffee and tea, and write out his
journal and keep his accounts, she hoped. And should he fall sick, how
carefully she would watch over him; indeed, she flattered herself that
she could be of no slight use. Then, she might be a companion to
Walter, who might otherwise become as rough and rude as some ship-boys
she had seen; not that it was his nature to be rough, she thought, but
she had often written in her copy-book, "Evil communications corrupt
good manners," and Walter's truly good manners might deteriorate among
the rough crew of the whaler. Alice also intended to be very diligent
with her books, and she could learn geography in a practical way few
young ladies are able to enjoy. And, lastly, she had a sketch-book and
a colour-box, by means of which she hoped to make numberless drawings of
the scenery and people she was to visit. Altogether, she was not likely
to find the time hang heavy on her hands.
In many respects she was not disappointed in her expectations. As soon
as the ship was clear of the Channel and fairly at sea, her father began
the course of instruction he intended to pursue during the voyage. Mr
Jacob Shobbrok the mate, and Nub, delighted to impart such feminine
accomplishments as they possessed; and it amused her to see how deftly
their strong hands plied their needles.
Nub, as the black steward was generally called, had been for the best
part of his life at sea with her father. He had been christened Nubia,
which name was abridged into Nub; and sometimes she and Walter, when
they were little children, had been accustomed, as a term of endearment,
to call him "Nubby," and even now they frequently so called him. He was
truly devoted to his captain's children, but more especially were the
affections of the big warm heart which beat in his black bosom bestowed
upon Alice. It is no exaggeration to say that he would gladly have died
to save her from harm.
Alice, indeed, was perfectly happy, not feeling the slightest regret at
having left England. The weather was fine, the sea generally smooth,
and the ship glided so rapidly on her course that Alice persuaded
herself she was not likely to encounter the storms and dangers she had
heard of. She carried out her intentions with exemplary perseverance.
Never had the captain's cabin been in such good order. She learned all
the lessons he set her, and read whenever she had time; she plied her
needle diligently; and Mr Shobbrok took especial delight in teaching
her embroidery, in which, notwithstanding the roughness of his hands, he
was an adept. Indeed, not a moment of her time was idly spent. She
took her walks regularly on deck during the day, with her father or
Walter: and when they were engaged, Nub followed her about like her
shadow; not that he often spoke to her, but he seemed to think that it
was his duty ever to be on the watch to shield her from harm.
Walter, in the meantime, was picking up a large amount of nautical
knowledge: for he, like his sister, was always diligent, and, following
his father's advice, never hesitated to ask for information from those
about him; and as he was always good-natured and good-tempered, and
grateful for help received, it was willingly given. He was as active
and daring as any of the crew, and he could soon lay out on the yards
and assist in reefing topsails as well as anybody on board. He could
soon, also, take his trick at the helm in fine weather; indeed, it was
generally acknowledged that he gave good promise of becoming a prime
seaman. The crew were constantly exercised at their guns; and Walter,
though not strong enough to work at them himself, soon thoroughly
understood their management, and could have commanded them as well as
any of the officers. He also studied navigation under his father in the
cabin, and could take an observation and work a day's work with perfect
accuracy. He advanced thus rapidly in his professional knowledge, not
because he possessed any wonderful talent except the very important one
of being able to give his mind to the subject, and in being diligent in
all he undertook. He was happy and contented, because he really felt
that he was making progress, and every day adding to his stock of
knowledge. He had also the satisfaction of being conscious that he was
doing his duty in the sight of God as well as in that of man: he was
obedient, loving, and attentive to his father, from the highest of
motives,--because God told him to be so, not in any way from fear, or
because he felt that it was his interest to obey one on whom he depended
for support. Captain Tredeagle himself was a truly religious,
God-fearing man; that is to say, he feared to offend One who, he knew,
loved him and had done so much for him--an all-pure and all-holy God, in
whose sight he ever lived--and therefore did his best to bring up his
children in the fear and nurture of the Lord; and he had reason to be
thankful that his efforts were not in vain.
Had all his crew been like Captain Tredeagle, his would have been a
happy ship. His good mate, Jacob Shobbrok, was in some respects like
him; that is to say, he was a Christian man, though somewhat rough in
his outward manner and appearance, for he had been at sea all his Life.
He was an old bachelor, and had never enjoyed the softening influence of
female society. Still his heart was kind and gentle. Both Alice and
Walter, having discernment enough to discover that, were accordingly
much attached to him. There were several other worthy men on board.
Andrew Lawrie, the surgeon, was in most respects like Jacob, possessing
a kind, honest heart, with a rough outside. Nub has been described. He
made himself generally popular with the men by his good temper and
jokes, and by bearing patiently the ill-treatment to which he was often
subjected by the badly disposed among them. But though kicked,
rope's-ended, and made to perform tasks which it was not his duty to do,
he never complained or showed any vindictive feeling. His chief friend
was Dan Tidy. Dan, who had not been long at sea, and consequently was
not much of a sailor, was quite as badly treated as Nub, but did not
take it with nearly the same equanimity. He generally retaliated, and
many a tough battle he had to fight in consequence. But though he was
often beaten, his spirit had not given way. A common suffering united
him and Nub, and when they could they helped each other.
A large portion of the crew were rough, ignorant, and disorderly. The
war had kept all the best men employed, and even a well-known commander
like Captain Tredeagle had a difficulty in getting good men; so that the
few only who had constantly sailed with him could be depended on. The
rest would remain with him and do their duty only so long as they
thought it their interest. And though he did his utmost to keep up
strict discipline, he was obliged to humour them more than he would have
been justified in doing under other circumstances. Though he might have
used the lash,--very common in those days,--to flog men was repugnant to
his feelings, and he preferred trying to keep them in order by kindness.
Unhappily, many of them were of too brutal a nature to understand his
object, so they fancied that he treated them as he did from timidity.
Old Jacob Shobbrok urged stronger measures when some of the men refused
to turn out to keep their watch, or went lazily about their work.
"We shall have the masts whipped out of the ship, if we don't trice up
some of these fellows before long," he observed one day to the captain.
"Wait a bit, Jacob," answered Captain Tredeagle; "I will try them a
little longer; but you can just let them know that if any of them again
show a mutinous disposition, they will be flogged as surely as they are
living men."
"They don't understand threats, captain," answered Jacob. "There's
nothing like the practical teaching the cat affords with fellows of this
description. I'll warn them, however, pretty clearly; and if that don't
succeed, I must trust to you to show them that you will stand it no
longer."
Jacob did not fail to speak to the men as he promised, and for a time
they went on better; but the spirit of insubordination still existed
among them, and gave the good captain much concern.
The boatswain, Jonah Capstick, who ought to have been the first to
preserve discipline, was among the worst. It was the first voyage he
had made with Captain Tredeagle, to whom he had been recommended as a
steady man. One of his mates, Tom Hulk,--well named, for he was a big
hulking ruffian,--was quite as bad, and with several others supported
the boatswain.
Alice knew nothing of what was going forward, though Walter suspected
that things were not quite right.
The great delight of Alice, as the ship entered the tropics, was to
watch the strange fish which swam about the ship as she glided calmly
on; to observe the ocean bathed in the silvery light of the moon, or the
sun as it sank into its ocean bed, suffusing a rich glow over the sky
and waters.
She and Walter were one day standing on deck together, when, looking up,
they saw a small black dot in the blue sky.
"What can that be?" asked Alice. "It seems as if some one had thrown a
ball up there. Surely it cannot be a balloon such as I have read of,
though I never saw one."
"That is not a balloon, but a living creature," observed Jacob, who had
overheard her. "It is a frigate-bird watching for its prey; and before
long we shall see it pounce down to the surface of the ocean if it
observes anything to pick up, though it is a good many hundred feet
above our heads just now."
"See! see! what are those curious creatures which have just come out of
the water? Why, they have wings! Can they be birds?" she exclaimed.
"No; those are flying-fish," said Walter, who knew better than his
sister.
"And the frigate-bird has espied them too," exclaimed the mate. "Here
he comes."
As he spoke, a large bird came swooping down like a flash of lightning
from the heavens; and before the flying-fish, with their wings dried by
the air, had again fallen into the water, it had caught one of them in
its mouth. Swallowing the fish, the bird rapidly ascended, to be ready
for another pounce on its prey. The flying-fish had evidently other
enemies below the surface, for soon afterwards they were seen to rise at
a short distance ahead; and once more the bird, descending with the same
rapid flight as before, seized another, which it bore off.
"Poor fish! how cruel of the bird to eat them up," cried Alice.
"It is its way of getting its dinner," said the mate, laughing. "You
would not object to eat the fish were they placed before you nicely
fried at breakfast. Many seamen have been thankful enough to get them,
when their ship has gone down and they have been sailing in their boats
across the ocean, hard pressed by hunger."
"I was foolish to make the remark," said Alice; "and yet I cannot help
pitying the beautiful flying-fish, snapped up so suddenly. But how can
the bird come out here, so far away from land? Where can it rest at
night?"
"It can keep on the wing for days and days together," answered the mate.
"It is enabled to do this by having the muscles of its breast, which
work the wings, of wonderful strength, while the rest of the body is
exceedingly light. Its feet are so formed that it cannot rest on the
surface of the water as do most other sea-birds; which proves what I say
about its powers of flying."
The bird which he was describing was of a rich black plumage, the throat
being white and the beak red. Nothing could be more graceful than the
way it hovered above the ship in beautiful undulations, or the rapidity
with which it darted on its prey. Alice and Walter stood admiring it.
"It is a determined pirate," observed the mate. "When it cannot catch
fish for itself, it watches for the gannets and sea-swallows after they
have been out fishing all day, and darting down upon them, compels them
in their fright to throw some of their prey out of their crops, when it
is caught by the plunderer before it reaches the water. The gannets are
such gluttons, they generally fly home so full of fish that they are
unable to close their beaks. If the gannet does not let some of the
fish fall, the frigate-bird darts rapidly down and strikes it on the
back of the head; on which it never fails to give up its prey to the
marauder."
"Though I cannot, I must confess, help admiring the beauty of the
frigate-bird, robber as he is, my sympathy is all with the flying-fish,"
said Alice.
"They are certainly to be pitied," said the mate; "for they have enemies
in the water and out of it. Several of those we saw just now are by
this time down the throats of the albicores or bonitoes, which are
following them. To try to escape from their foes, they rise out of the
water, and fly fifty yards or more, till, their wings becoming dry, they
cannot longer support themselves, when they fall back again into the
sea, if they are not in the meantime picked up by a frigate-bird or some
other winged enemy. I have known a dozen or more fly into a boat, or
even on to the deck of a ship; and very delicate they are when cooked,
though hungry people are glad enough to eat them raw."
Sometimes at night Alice came on deck, when the stars were shining
brightly and the ship was bounding over the waves, to watch the foam as
it was dashed from off the bows to pass hissing by, covered with sparks
of phosphorescent light, while the summits of the dark waves in every
direction shone with the utmost brilliancy. The strange light, her
father told her, was produced by countless millions of minute creatures,
or, as some supposed, by decomposed animal matter. She delighted most,
however, in going on deck on a calm night, when the moonbeams cast their
soft light upon the ocean, and the ship seemed to be gliding across a
sea of burnished silver. Walter now regularly took his watch, and never
failed to call her when he knew she would be interested in any of the
varied beauties which the changing ocean presented.
Frequently the ship was surrounded by bonitoes, moving through the
waters much like porpoises; and the seamen got their harpoons ready, to
strike any which might come near.
As the ship one day was gliding smoothly on, the boatswain descended to
the end of the dolphin-striker, a spar which reaches from the bowsprit
down almost to the water. Here he stood, ready to dart his harpoon at
any unwary fish which might approach. Walter and Alice were on the
forecastle watching him. They had not long to wait before a bonito came
gambolling by. Quick as lightning the harpoon flew from his hand, and
was buried deeply in the body of the fish. A noose was then dexterously
slipped over its head and another over its tail, and it was quickly
hauled up on deck by the crew. It was a beautiful creature, rather more
than three feet long, with a sharp head, a small mouth, large gills,
silvery eyes, and a crescent-shaped tail. Its back and sides were
greenish, but below it was of a silvery white. The body was destitute
of scales, except on the middle of the sides, where a line of gold ran
from the head to the tail.
Alice was inclined to bemoan its death; but Walter assured her
afterwards that she need not expend her pity on it, as three flying-fish
had been found in its inside. Several other bonitoes were caught which
had swallowed even a greater number. Indeed, they are the chief foes of
the flying-fish, which, had not the latter the power of rising out of
the water to escape them, would quickly be exterminated.
Some of the officers got out lines and hooks baited with pieces of pork;
not to attract fish, however, but to catch some of the numerous birds
flying astern and round the ship. Several flights of stormy petrels had
long been following in the wake of the ship, with other birds,--such as
albatrosses, cape-pigeons, and whale-birds. No sooner did a pigeon see
the bait than it pounced down and seized it in its mouth, when a sharp
tug secured the hook in its bill, and it was rapidly drawn on board.
Several stormy petrels, which the sailors call "Mother Carey's
chickens," were also captured. They are among the smallest of the
web-footed birds, being only about six inches in length. Most of the
body is black, glossed with bluish reflections; their tails are of a
sooty-brown intermingled with white. In their mode of flight, Walter
remarked that they resembled swallows: rapidly as they darted here and
there, now resting on the wing, now rising again in the air; uttering
their clamorous, piercing cries, as they flocked together in increasing
numbers.
"We shall have rough weather before long, or those birds would not
shriek so loudly," observed Jacob to Walter. "I don't mind a few of
them; but when they come in numbers about a ship, it is a sure sign of a
storm."
"We have had so much fine weather, that I suppose it is what we may
expect," answered Walter. "We cannot hope to make a long voyage without
a gale now and then!"
"It is not always the case," said the mate. "I have been round the
world some voyages with scarcely a gale to speak of; and at other times
we have not been many weeks together without hard weather."
Though the stormy petrel shrieked, the wind still remained moderate, and
the sailors continued their bird-catching and fishing.
Among those who most eagerly followed the cruel sport was Tom Hulk, the
boatswain's mate. He had got a long line and a strong hook, which he
threw overboard from the end of the main-yard.
"I don't care for those small birds," he cried out. "I have made up my
mind to have one of the big albatrosses. I want his wings to carry home
with me, and show what sort of game we pick up at sea."
Several of his messmates, who had a superstitious dread of catching an
albatross, shouted out to him not to make the attempt, declaring that he
would bring ill-luck to himself, or perhaps to the ship. Though not
free from superstition himself, he persevered from very bravado.
"I am not to be frightened by any such notions," he answered scornfully.
"If I can catch an albatross I will, and wring his neck too."
Before long, a huge white albatross, with wide-extended wings, which had
been hovering about the ship, espying the bait darted down and swallowed
it at a gulp, hook and all. In an instant it was secured, and the bold
seaman came running in along the yard to descend on deck; while the
bird, rising in the air, endeavoured to escape. Its efforts were in
vain; for several other men aiding Hulk, in spite of its struggles it
was quickly drawn on board. Even then it fought bravely, though
hopelessly, for victory; but its captor despatched it with a blow on the
head.
"It would have been better for you if you had let that bird enjoy its
liberty," said the boatswain with a growl. "I have never seen any good
come from catching one of them."
"Did you ever see any harm come?" innocently asked Walter, who had come
forward to look at the bird.
"As to that, youngster, it's not to every question you will get an
answer," growled the boatswain, turning away. Walter, though liked by
most on board, was not a favourite of the surly boatswain, who, for his
own reasons, objected to have the keen eyes of the sharp-witted boy
observing his proceedings.
Walter, begging Hulk to stretch out the bird's wings, went to bring
Alice to look at it. He told her what the boatswain had said about the
ill-luck which would pursue those who killed an albatross.
"Depend on it, God would not allow what He has ordained to be interfered
with by any such occurrence," observed the captain to his children. "It
may be a cruel act to kill a bird without any reason; but though persons
who have caught or shot albatrosses may afterwards have met with
accidents, it does not at all follow that such is the result of their
former acts. I have seen many albatrosses killed, and the people who
killed them have returned home in safety; though possibly accidents may
have occurred in other instances to those who have killed one of the
birds. Still seamen have got the notion into their heads, and it is
very hard to drive it out."
"I am sure of that," said Walter, "though the boatswain was quite angry
with me for doubting what he asserted."
While he was speaking, another large albatross came sweeping by.
"For my part, I am not afraid of catching a second," exclaimed Hulk;
"and if there is ill-luck in killing one, there may be good luck in
catching two." Saying this, he prepared his hook and line, and was
ascending to the yard to let it tow overboard as before.
"It will be a good thing for you if you do catch two," exclaimed the
boatswain. "We want good luck for the ship, for little enough of it we
have had as yet." But before Hulk could get out his line the albatross
was seen to swoop downwards, and immediately afterwards it rose with a
huge fish in its talons, into which it plunged its powerful beak with a
force which must have speedily put an end to its prey. Powerful,
however, as were its wings, it could not rise with so great a weight,
but commenced tearing away at the flesh of its victim as it floated on
the surface. It thus offered a fair mark to any who might wish to shoot
it. Three of the ship's muskets were brought up by some of the younger
officers, who were about to fire.
"Let me have a shot," said the boatswain, taking one of them. "I seldom
miss my aim."
The captain, who had been below, just then coming on deck, observing
what they were about, ordered them to desist, observing--
"I don't wish to lower a boat to pick up the bird, and I consider it
wanton cruelty to shoot at it."
The boatswain pretended not to hear him, and taking aim, he fired. The
bird was seen to let go its prey, and, after rising a few feet, to fall
back with wings extended into the water, where it lay fluttering
helplessly. The ship gliding on, soon left it astern.
"I consider that a piece of wanton cruelty, Mr Capstick," exclaimed the
captain. "I must prohibit the ship's muskets being made use of for such
a purpose; they are intended to be used against our enemies, not
employed in slaughtering harmless birds."
The boatswain returned the musket to the rack, muttering as he did so;
but what he said neither the captain nor his mates were able to
understand.
The ship had now nearly reached the latitude of the Falkland Islands,
and in a short time she would be round Cape Horn, and traversing the
broad waters of the Pacific. Hitherto few ships had been seen, either
friends or foes; a lookout had been kept for the latter, as the crew
hoped that, should they fall in with an enemy's merchantman of inferior
size, the captain would capture her to give them some much coveted
prize-money. Two had been seen which were supposed to be small enough
to attack, but the captain had declined going in chase of them, greatly
to the annoyance of the crew; and the boatswain and others vowed they
would not longer stand that sort of thing.
Walter was walking the deck during his middle watch the next night, when
Dan Tidy came up to him.
"Hist, Mr Walter," he said in a low voice. "Will you plaise just step
to the weather-gangway, out of earshot of the man at the helm? I have
got something I would like to say to you."
Walter stepped to the gangway, and, seeing no one near, asked Tidy what
he had to communicate.
"I wouldn't wish to be an eavesdropper or a tale-bearer, Mr Walter; but
when the lives of you and your father and most of the officers are at
stake, it's time to speak out. I happened to be awake during my watch
below when the boatswain came for'ard, and I heard him and Tom Hulk and
about a dozen others talking in whispers together. I lay still,
pretending to be asleep, as, of course, they thought were the rest of
the watch. Capstick began grumbling at the chance there was that we
should take no prizes; and declared that, for his part, he was not going
to submit to that sort of thing. The others agreed with him, and swore
that they would stand by him, and do whatever he proposed. Some said
that the best thing would be to go to the captain, and insist that he
should attack the first enemy's merchantman they could fall in with.
`And the captain will tell you to mind your own business, and that he
intends to act as he considers is most for his own interest and that of
the owners,' said Hulk, with an oath. `I tell you, the only thing we
can do is to make him and his young fry, and the old mate and some of
the rest of them, prisoners; or, better still, knock them on the head
and heave them overboard, and then we will make the boatswain captain,
and live a life of independence, just taking as many prizes as we want,
and never troubling ourselves to give an account of them to the owners.'
Some agreed to this, and some didn't seem to like the thought of it;
but they were talked over by the boatswain and Hulk, and agreed to what
they proposed. I cannot say, however, when they intend to carry out
their plan. They talked on for some time longer, and then they all
turned into their hammocks. I lay as quiet as a mouse in a cheese, and
when I thought they were all asleep slipped up on deck to tell you or
the mate, if I could manage to speak to either of you unobserved, that
you might let the captain know of their intentions towards him."
Walter, though considerably agitated at this information, acted with
much discretion, telling Tidy to keep the matter to himself, and to
behave towards the intended mutineers as he had always done, without
letting them have a shade of suspicion that he had discovered their
plot. Having no fear, from what Tidy said, that they intended carrying
it out immediately, he waited till his watch was over to inform his
father and the chief mate. Bidding Tidy go below and turn in again, he
resumed his walk on deck.
They would probably, he thought, wait for a change of weather and a dark
night to execute their project which, it was evident, was not as yet
fully matured.
The second mate had charge of the watch, but Walter was unwilling to
communicate the information to him; for, though an honest man, he
somewhat doubted his discretion. It was an anxious time for the young
boy, but his courage did not quail, as he felt sure that his father and
Mr Shobbrok, aided by the other officers and the better-disposed part
of the crew, would be able to counteract the designs of the mutineers.