TOGETHER AT LAST
One afternoon, after more than two weeks had passed, the whaling barque
still lay quietly at anchor in Singavi Harbour, ready for sea again, and
waiting only for a breeze. For, soon after the repairs were finished,
the trade-wind had flickered and died away, and a 'furious calm,' as Mr.
Burr, the chief mate, called it, had set in, and seemed likely to
continue. The captain had started off early the previous morning to
walk to the mission house at Alo, and spend a day or two shooting with
Tom and Maori Bill, for the natives had assured him that there was not
the slightest chance of anything more than the very lightest airs from
the eastward for many days to come, and he decided that it was better to
be lying at anchor instead of drifting away to the westward. And so,
although Mr. Burr and his fellow-officers, to whom an idle day was an
abomination and a vexation of spirit, grumbled exceedingly, they had to
admit that the 'old man' was right after all. The two damaged boats had
been repaired, and were now, as well as the one obtained from Tom and
Bill, fit to be lowered again, should whales be seen whilst the ship was
at anchor. Look-outs had been stationed on two of the highest points of
the island, and a series of smoke-signals arranged, so that if by good
luck a whale or whales should be sighted from the mountains, the boats
would know where to look for them, if they were not visible from the
ship.
The day had been intensely hot, and at five o'clock Mr. Burr and the
second mate, as they sat under the awning on the poop deck, were eating
oranges and pineapples with a steady determination to do some kind of
work.
Presently a canoe came off from the beach and brought off the shore
look-outs, who duly came aft and reported.
'See anything, you fellows?' asked the mate, stabbing a pineapple
through with his knife and drawing it to him.
'Saw 'bout nine or ten finbacks close in under the south point 'bout an
hour ago,' drawled one of the look-outs.
'Finbacks is pizen, and ain't fit to be mentioned to a decent man.
Snakes and finbacks air a curse to humanity. But if we hev to lie here
and rot much longer, and one of them comes foolin' around, I'm going to
put an iron into him, and let him tow me all around this island for
forty days and forty nights. See any blackfish?'
'Nary one. But there's a ship way out to the northward. Saw her early
this morning. Reckon she ain't much nearer now. 'Bout fifteen mile off
now.'
Mr. Burr displayed a faint interest, and then, being a good-natured,
thoughtful man, said to his subordinate--
'Like to take a boat and pull round to the mission house and tell the
old man? If that ship is bound to Fiji, she'll most likely pass between
here and Alofi, and maybe he or the little woman might want to send a
letter. You can stay all night if you like.'
The second mate was only too glad to get away from the ship for a night;
and soon after supper he called his boat's crew and started, secretly
hoping that on the way back in the morning he might raise a whale.
As the boat rounded the southern point of the island, a gentle, cooling
breath of air came from the eastward, and the mate sniffed it
approvingly, not because it was laden with the sweet scent of _maso'i_,
_tamanu_, and wild orange trees of the mountain forest, but because it
felt to his cheeks as if it were the re-awakening to life again of the
long-waited-for trade wind.
'Guess the captain won't do much gunning to-morrow,' he remarked in the
condescending manner peculiar to whaleship officers, who in rare moments
of relaxation unbend themselves sufficiently to make an observation to
members of the crew not directly connected with their vocation.
'There's going to be a steady breeze before morning, in spite of what
these copper-coloured Kanaka folks say. Give way, there. I'm mighty
glad we came now. Maybe we'll get back again to-night.'
The officer's surmise seemed likely to prove correct, for by the time
the boat was abreast of the mission station, and just as the evening
fires of the natives were being lit, the breeze had certainly
strengthened.
Landing directly in front of the white-walled church, the crew hauled
the boat up on the soft white sand, and were soon surrounded by the
usual crowd of inquisitive natives, while the mate walked on up the hill
to the mission house, where he found his captain, Mrs. Casalle, and Tom
at supper with the two old fathers.
'Mr. Burr reckoned he had better let you know that there is a ship in
sight to the northward; the look-out saw her early this morning, and
thinks she's coming this way. If so, she'll be in the straits here by
midnight. And there's a steady breeze coming, captain; guess this
eternal calm is about broke up.'
This latter news decided Captain Herrendeen to leave Alo as soon as the
moon rose, which would be an hour before midnight, as he would thus have
time to reach Singavi by daylight, get the ship under way and well out
from the lee of the land as soon as possible; for should it fall calm
again he would either have to anchor or tow back again, to avoid the
strong westerly current. As for the vessel which the look-outs had
sighted, he determined to speak her in the morning, if it could possibly
be done.
His hospitable hosts, knowing his anxiety to put to sea again, did not
persuade him to wait till morning; but, calling their servants, bade
them carry down and fill the mission boat with fruit and vegetables for
the use of the ship's company. Then, as there were still some hours
before them, supper was proceeded with, and the rest of the evening was
spent on the verandah.
At last the time came to say farewell. The moon had risen, and sent a
long steady blade of light down the strait, the breeze was blowing fresh
and cool and rustling the line of palms in the mission garden, and the
two boats with their crews were waiting on the beach.
'Come, my friends,' said the older of the two missionaries to his
guests, 'let us go. My brother Garnier and myself are not so old that
we cannot walk down with you to the boat.'
As the little procession left the mission it was joined by some hundreds
of young women and lads, who pressed forward to say good-bye to Mrs.
Casalle and Solepa; many of them were unable to restrain their tears,
and Tom could not help remarking upon their warm-hearted impulsiveness
to Captain Herrendeen, adding that Hayes had told him that the Fotuna
natives were inclined to be saucy and domineering.
'Ah,' said the old priest, who overheard him, 'but Captain Hayes did not
understand the changes we have made here of late years. The Fotunans
were always a more suspicious and irritable people than the other
Polynesians; even now they do not take quickly to strangers like the
Samoans or Tahitians, but that is because there is a strain of Papuan
blood in them. And it is not more than twenty years ago since my
predecessor, Pere Channel, was beaten to death by their clubs here at
Alo.'
They reached the boats, and then, almost in silence, Tom and Mrs.
Casalle bade the good old men farewell.
'Farewell, madame; farewell, Tom!' murmured Pere Serge, who was almost
afraid to trust his own voice, as he took their hands in his; 'may
Heaven protect you both! You have both suffered much, but now happiness
is near to you. Think of us sometimes, living out our quiet lives on
this lonely little island. And to you farewell, captain, and to you,
sir, and to you,' as he held out his hand to Herrendeen, the second
mate, and Maori Bill; 'may your voyage be a very happy, a very
prosperous one! Perhaps in a year or two you may come to Fotuna again,
and tell me that you have killed many whales.'
Another hand-grasp, and Mrs. Casalle and the captain took their seats in
the whaler's boat, Bill--who contrived to get Solepa and Tom with
him--took charge of the other, and the word was given to push off.
The priests, surrounded by their flock, stood watching on the beach, and
then, as the boats cleared the reef and headed southward, Tom and the
captain stood up and waved their hats. For some minutes the two
black-garbed figures remained stationary, silhouetted against the white
background of moonlit beach; then they turned and disappeared under the
shadow of the palms.
When the boats were a few hundred yards beyond the barrier-reef the oars
were taken in, the sails hoisted, and soon both were slipping quickly
over the water, which, though ruffled by the gentle breeze, was very
smooth. The mission boat, however, being both clumsy and heavily laden,
dropped behind considerably, and gradually the voices of her native
crew, who were singing merrily as they sailed, grew indistinct.
'We mustn't run away from them, Captain Herrendeen,' said Mrs. Casalle,
quickly. 'Don't think me nervous, but even being in a boat now
terrifies me, and Tom is such an awful boy. If it came on to blow hard,
he would just be delighted. Why, as we were leaving I asked him to come
with us, but he said he wanted to go with Mr. Chester, as they might
pick up a turtle in the moonlight! And that boat is loaded down to the
gunwales already. If they swamped'--she shuddered--'and anything
happened to him, it would break my heart.'
Captain Herrendeen laughed, but lowered the peak of the mainsail, so as
to decrease the speed of the boat.
'Why, he swims like a native, Mrs. Casalle, and would enjoy the thing;
but there, we'll wait for them.'
'Thank you, captain. I know I'm silly, but I can't help it. And I was
thinking of sharks. Oh! I saw such a dreadful thing once in the Paumotu
Group, when a canoe full of people upset, on just such a moonlight
night'----
'Hallo! what's that?' cried the second mate, as a report of a gun came
from the other boat.
Herrendeen luffed, and looked astern at the same time.
'Tom's having a shot at nothing, to get rid of his superfluous
energy--hallo! there's another,' as a flash and a second report came,
followed by a hail.
'Why, they're hailing--the boat's filling, I expect! Down with the sail
there, you men! We must pull up to her.'
The sail was quickly lowered, and the boat headed back under the long
sweeping strokes of five oars. The mission boat, however, still came
on, running steadily before the wind.
'What's the matter with you?' shouted Herrendeen, as he came within
speaking distance.
'Nothing,' answered the Maori, 'but look over there, just under the
shadow of the land. There's that ship, close in. We fired to make you
bring to.'
A quick glance at the spot indicated showed Captain Herrendeen the
vessel. She was rather more than a mile astern of both boats, and
gradually overhauling them.
'She's coming down this way, sure enough,' he said to his second mate,
'and will be out through the straits by daylight if she's bound to the
westward. Guess I'll hang on here a bit, and wait for her. You can go
on, Bill, and tell Mr. Burr to heave short at daylight. I'll be along
presently, as soon as I have spoken this ship, and find out where's she
going. Mrs. Casalle, will you go in that boat or stay with me?'
'I'll stay with you, captain. Tom, you come too, please. Solepa, you
can go on if you like.'
Tom, eager to get on board the strange ship, at once changed into the
captain's boat, and Bill, with Solepa pretending to protest that she did
not wish to reach the Adventurer before her mistress, at once went on,
using both sail and paddles.
As the stranger was still a mile distant, Captain Herrendeen decided to
pull up and meet her. By the manner in which she was running down the
coast, it was evident that the master of her knew the island pretty
well; and indeed as soon as she came abreast of the southern point she
hauled her wind, and lay up along the western shore.
'That looks as if he was going into Singavi, Carey,' said Herrendeen to
the second mate; 'but still he may not be. At the same time he's
altogether too close. Give way, men, we'll soon be up to him. He'll
lose most of the breeze, now he's rounded the corner.'
In a quarter of an hour the vessel was so close, and the night so clear,
that figures could be discerned moving about her decks, and presently,
as the boat came nearer, a man came to the stern rail and hailed in a
clear voice:
'Boat ahoy there! Do you want to come aboard?'
'Yes, if you're not going into Singavi.'
'We are going there; but come aboard all the same,' said a second voice.
Mrs. Casalle clutched Tom's arm convulsively, and he felt her figure
tremble.
'Oh, Tom, that sounded so like my poor husband's voice! It's all your
fault, you've frightened me so----'
'Ay, ay,' replied Herrendeen. 'I'll come aboard. Don't bring to.'
Pulling up alongside the vessel, which now had barely more than steerage
way on her, owing to her being so close under the lee of the high land,
Captain Herrendeen caught hold of a rope's end which was lowered to him
at the main chains and swung himself aboard.
'Push off, Mr. Carey, and go ahead. You'll be in a good hour or more
before this ship. Orders as before for Mr. Burr--heave short at
daylight.'
The boat dropped astern, and the crew, bending to their oars, sent her
skimming ahead, much to the disappointment of Tom, who, had there been
time, would have followed the captain.
The moment Herrendeen was on deck he shook hands with a man who was
evidently the captain.
'How do, captain? Say, you're in a bit close; there's an inshore set of
current just here. The Comboy went ashore here in a calm; five boats
couldn't tow her clear of the reef.'
'Much obliged to you, sir,' said the captain, who at once gave the
necessary orders, and the ship was at once kept away from the land. She
answered her helm so slowly, however, and her canvas hung so limp, that
both Herrendeen and the strange skipper were alarmed as they looked at
the land.
'Take a cast of your lead, sir,' said the former quickly; 'you're
setting inshore. I can hear the surf. If you can't get bottom at
twenty fathoms, you'll have to tow off; there's a sudden drop from
twenty fathoms to a hundred, we're just on the edge of it.'
A seaman sprang into the fore chains, took a cast of the lead, and
reported no bottom.
'You'll have to tow off, captain,' said Herrendeen; 'it's better to be
sure than sorry.'
Two well-manned boats were at once lowered, and in a few minutes the
vessel began to move ahead.
'We're all right now, sir, I think,' said the captain to Herrendeen, as
he looked over the side, 'thanks to you;' and then, as he saw two
figures on the after-deck evidently waiting to approach him and his
visitor, he seized Herrendeen's arm and said hurriedly--
'Have you heard anything about Bully Hayes having been here?'
'Yes, all about it.'
'Anything about a boy named Wallis and a Maori half-caste?'
'_They're here_! The boy was in that boat of mine which was alongside
just now; the Maori--Bill Chester you mean--is here too.'
'Thank God! thank God!' said the stranger; 'here are his father and
brother;' and then, dragging Herrendeen with him, he called out in
quavering tones--
'Tom is here, Wallis! Tom is here!'
For some moments all discipline on board the Malolo was lost, for the
crew on deck and the men in the boats caught up the skipper's cry, and
cheer after cheer went up, as Mr. Wallis and Jack seized Herrendeen's
hands, with eager tremulous questions on their lips.
Captain Casalle walked quickly away to where Mr. Brooker was standing up
forward, watching the ship. He leant on the rail in silence for some
minutes.
'Brooker, old shipmate,' he began in a low voice, as he turned to the
mate, 'such news as that is heaven to a father's heart, and to me as
well, for it was through me that the boy has suffered so. And now I
thank God he is found.'
'Just so, captain,' said Brooker, sympathetically; 'I feel most almighty
pleased myself: I do.'
Another minute or two passed, and then the murmur of the three voices on
the after-deck suddenly ceased, and Mr. Wallis cried out sharply--
'Casalle, Casalle! Where are you?'
The captain ran to meet him. 'What is it, Wallis?' In the dim morning
light he saw that the man's usually quiet, grave eyes were glittering
under some almost uncontrollable emotion. 'What is it, Wallis? Is Tom
ill?'
'Tom is well, Casalle,' said Wallis, trying to speak calmly, 'and as God
has spared my son to me, so has He spared your wife to you. She is here
at Fotuna, and was alongside in the same boat with Tom!'
* * * * *
Half an hour later, as the Malolo, whose boats were towing astern, came
in sight of Singavi Harbour and the Adventurer, Captain Herrendeen
stepped up from below, with rather misty eyes, and spoke to Mr. Brooker
and Henry Casalle, both of whom were at that moment talking over the
exciting events of the past hour. That they should find Tom safe, and
actually arrive at the island on the morning of the very day he was
leaving it, was a strange and fortunate circumstance; but that their
captain's wife should not only be alive and well, but have been rescued
by the same ship which had afterwards picked up Tom and Maori Bill, was
stranger still.
'How do you do, gentlemen?' said Herrendeen to the two officers, and
shaking hands with them both. 'There's no need for me to ask which of
you is Mr. Casalle--you and your brother are as alike as the two sheaves
in a double block. I guess there's going to be a high old time aboard
these two ships to-day.'
When within half a mile of the Adventurer, Captain Casalle, Mr. Wallis,
Jack, and little Nita left the Malolo in one of her whaleboats, leaving
Captain Herrendeen on board to pilot her in. As they drew near, they
saw that Mr. Burr was heaving short and the hands loosing sails.
The boat drew up alongside, and Mr. Wallis--as had been arranged between
him and Captain Casalle--first went up the side and met Mr. Burr at the
gangway.
'I am Tom's father,' he said quickly; 'is he below?'
'Just having a cup of coffee,' answered the mate, shaking hands with the
visitor. 'Come with me, sir.'
'One moment, please;' and then Mr. Wallis asked the mate if Mrs. Casalle
was with him.
'No, she told me she was tired. I guess she's turned in.'
'All the better. Her husband is here with me, and we feared that the
shock of seeing him so unexpectedly might be harmful to her. Will you
send Tom on deck first?' Then, going to the gangway, he called to Jack
and Captain Casalle to come up.
Mr. Burr descended into the cabin. Tom was seated at the table,
drinking coffee with Solepa.
'Come on deck, Tom,' said the mate, quickly; 'you stay there, girl.'
Wondering what was the matter, Tom followed him on deck, and in a few
moments was clasped in his father's arms, then in Jack's, and then in
Captain Casalle's.
Mr. Wallis drew the mate aside and spoke hurriedly with him; then the
two went below, and the mate knocked at Mrs. Casalle's cabin door.
'Have you turned in, Mrs. Casalle?'
'No, Mr. Burr. But I feel a little tired, and am lying down. Come in,
please.'
The mate opened the door and looked in with a smiling face.
'I hev great news for you, Mrs. Casalle. Tom's father and brother are
here; and Mr. Wallis is here outside, and wants to see you mighty
particular. He's seen your husband quite recent.'
In an instant she was on her feet, and out into the main cabin with
hands outstretched to Tom's father.
'Mrs. Casalle, this is a happy meeting. I have seen my boy, and now I
come to tell you that your husband and child are near, very near.'
'Very near! Ah, do not keep me in suspense! Tell me, tell me now! See,
I am not excited. There, see!' And she sat down and folded her
trembling hands, and looked into his face with swimming eyes. '_Ah, he
is here now_! I can see it in your face. He is on board that ship, and
the voice I heard was his!'
Wallis, affected almost as much as she was, could no longer delay
telling her.
'Yes, it was his voice. Stay here; I will bring him to you.'
He sprang up the companion way. Casalle, with Nita's hand held tightly
in his own, was waiting. They went below.
And as Wallis passed by the open skylight to join Tom and Jack, he heard
the woman's voice--
'Ramon! Ramon! My husband, my husband! My child, my child!'