What was I to do?
The answer came readily enough. Join your friends.
But how? They were prisoners below in the cabins, and with guards set
at the companion and over the sky-lights.
There appeared to be no way but to go up aloft higher, crawl along some
stay, and then lower myself down, and to creep through the sky-light.
"And be dragged back long before I could get down, even if I could get
down at all," I said to myself bitterly.
That would not do; there must be some other way.
"Join the mutineers," something seemed to suggest, and wait till there
was a chance of leaving them and giving information to the authorities,
or another ship.
I couldn't do that, and even if I had felt disposed, Walters would have
taken care that I was not trusted. He would have been too jealous.
Feeling rested, I now began to creep up step by step so as to reach the
mizzen-top, where I hoped I could remain unseen. It was ticklish work,
for the men on guard by the sky-light were a very little distance away;
but moving by slow degrees I climbed up at last, and lay down in
comparative safety, not having been heard.
I had hardly reached my hiding-place, when I heard one of the men below
me say--
"Here they come," and directly after I could see ascend to the
poop-deck, by the light of three lanterns the men carried, a party of
about fourteen, one of whom was Jarette, another Nic Walters, and the
rest were sailors, with the two rough fellows, Dumlow and Blane, firmly
bound with stout line, in their midst.
They were pushed and dragged up to the foot of the mizzen-mast, where
Jarette seated himself in one of the deck chairs, and Walters, with a
pistol in his hand and another in his belt, stood by the Frenchman's
side, resting one foot upon the seat of the chair, as if on terms of the
greatest intimacy with its occupant.
"Bring 'em forward," said Jarette, and the two men were thrust to the
front, Dumlow growling like some strange animal, and Blane trying to
strike at his guards with his elbows.
"Steady there," shouted Jarette.
"Steady it is," growled Dumlow. "Look here, you Jarette, if you'll just
have these ropes undone on the starboard side to let one o' my fins at
liberty I'll fight yer one hand."
"Hold you your tongue, fool."
"Shan't, so now then. Jest you have this rope undone and I'll take a
pair on you."
"Will you hold that tongue, or shall I cut it out?"
"I should just like to ketch you at it, yer sham make-believe English
sailor."
My head, at the risk of my white face being seen, was thrust over the
side of the top.
"Look here, you two, you are brought before me, the captain of this
ship, for me to see whether I am willing to let you off easy."
"Oh, you're the skipper, are yer?" said Barney, spitting on the deck.
"Well, yer don't look like it, messmet."
"Silence," shouted Jarette. "Now, look here, my lads, if I have you cut
loose and forgive you for giving us so much trouble and knocking your
mates about, will you join us and help us work the ship?"
"No!" roared Dumlow, "I'm blessed if I do."
"And you, Barney?"
"Same I says as my mate."
"Vairy good, then, my friends, we were going to offer you a happy life
and a share in our prize, but you will not take them, so we shall have
to pitch you both overboard."
"As Neb says, I should just like to ketch yer at it," roared Blane.
"Lookye here, Frenchy," cried Dumlow in his strange growl, "you make
these beggars loosen this here line, and I'll fight yer one hand."
"Will you join us, big idiot?" said Jarette, and I drew in my breath as
I wondered whether the two brave fellows would prove staunch, and if
they did, whether Jarette would dare to carry out his threat.
"No; course I won't, you ugly piratical frog-soup-eating Frenchy."
"Hit him in the mouth," said Jarette.
"You'd better!" roared Dumlow, raising a leg to kick the first man who
approached him, and now I started, for Walters spoke.
"Don't be fools, you two," he said; "Bob Hampton has joined us."
"Yer lie, yer young warmint," cried Dumlow; "Bob Hampton wouldn't be
such a sneak."
Walters winced at the man's words, but he pointed aft.
"Look," he said; "there he is at the wheel steering."
"Ahoy yonder!" roared Dumlow. "That theer arn't you, is it, Bob?"
"Me it is, messmet," said Hampton, coolly.
"Sure, messmet?"
"Ay. All right."
"Why, you arn't jyned 'em, have you, lad?" said Blane.
"Ay, I've jyned, lad," replied Hampton, and then--"Say, skipper, hadn't
I better keep her off a pynte or two?"
"Yes," shouted Jarette.
"Well, I'm blessed," growled Dumlow. Then aloud--"Hi! Bob, lad, what's
to be done?"
"'Bout what?" came back from the wheel.
"Air we to let 'em pitch us overboard, or air we to jyne?"
"Jyne," growled Bob Hampton.
"Jyne it is, messmet," said Dumlow, in his low growling tone. "Here,
unlash these blessed ropes, they're a-cuttin' into my arms like
hooroar."
"And you'll join us too, Barney?" said Jarette.
"I does same as my two mates," said Blane. "I arn't going to be pitched
overboard if they arn't. Share and share alike, says I. Fair play's my
motto, and no favour. Here, cast off all these here lashins. What
d'yer want to tie a fellow up so tight for?"
"Take off the ropes," said Jarette, in a voice full of triumph, and I
could hear the rustling and rattling noise made as the lines were
untied, and directly after Dumlow's voice, saying--
"Here, give 's a drop o' summat; I'm as dry inside as a biscuit-bag."
And my lips and throat felt dry too with excitement, while a strange
feeling of despair came over me. Walters, Bob Hampton, Dumlow, and
Blane all turned traitors. What was to become of the poor passengers,
the officers, and myself?
There was only one way out of the difficulty, and that was to join the
prisoners in the cabin.
But how?
I lay listening. The men were talking loudly, and I soon made out that
drink was going round; but all was still as death now in the saloon and
cabins. Their occupants were evidently waiting to see what would be
done, and listening to the proceedings on deck.
"How can I get to them?--How can I get to them?" I kept on saying to
myself.
The darkness would favour me if I crept down, but the places were so
guarded that there was not the most remote chance of my getting past the
sentries.
I felt more despondent than ever, as I lay listening to the faint
creaking of the yards when they yielded gently to the wind. There was
no chance whatever of my joining my friends, and I was about to resign
myself to my fate, when I had a bright flash of hope. I could see my
way through the darkness. There was light ahead--mental light--and I
determined to dare the peril and act at once, if I could; if not, as
soon as the men below had dispersed.
Unfortunately I had to wait some time and listen, hardly daring to stir
for fear of being heard or seen, for there were three lanterns stood
about the deck, shedding their feeble light around, and now and then
looking brighter, and showing me the faces of the mutineers as they
opened the lantern-doors to light their pipes.
Jarette was talking quickly to a group of the men about him, but I
hardly heard what he said, my attention being fixed upon my plan of
escape, till I heard Jarette say--
"Wait till daylight then, my lads, and we'll soon have them all out of
there."
"All out of there," could only mean the people out of the cabin. Never
mind, they should have me out to, for my mind was made up, and I was
only waiting my chance.
Then it came, for the lanterns were picked up, and two of them were
carried down to the main-deck, while I could see that Walters picked up
the other and walked aft with Jarette, the light showing me two men, one
on each side of the saloon sky-lights, as Jarette stopped to give them
some orders in a low tone, standing back from the light as if expecting
a shot from below.
Then, as I watched them, feeling all the while as if I should like to be
exactly over Walters' head and let myself fall right upon him, they went
on to where Bob Hampton stood at the wheel, while I scanned eagerly the
long boom of the mizzen-spanker, the great fore and aft canvas running
off astern and towering up till it was all in darkness, for the
lantern-light was only a poor gleam. Then Jarette began talking to Bob
Hampton, but I could not and did not want to hear what the traitorous
wretch said, feeling mad against him, and vexed with myself for ever
having been at all friendly with the scoundrel. My attention was
directed to the great boom of the mizzen-spanker and the stern-rail,
which I could just faintly see as Walters turned the lantern here and
there.
"Oh, if I only ever have the chance!" I muttered, as for a moment I
thought of my companion, and though he was triumphant and I in so
perilous a position, I would not have changed places, I told myself, for
worlds.
I saw all I could, and then waited impatiently for what was to come
next.
I soon knew, for Jarette and Walters came back, and passing the men on
guard, descended to the main-deck and went forward, leaving all in
darkness.
"Now for it," I muttered, and with my heart beating heavily, I thrust my
hand into my pocket.
All right, my clasp-knife was there, and rising cautiously I stopped to
think. Then satisfying myself that my recollections were correct, I
began to feel about cautiously, as I now stood up, close to where the
top-mast joined the mizzen, and was at first disappointed, but directly
after my heart gave a throb of satisfaction, for my hand came in contact
with that which I sought, the thin strong line that ran up from the deck
right to the mizzen-truck, passed through it over a wheel, and came down
again to the deck.
Opening my knife, I began to cut through the ascending line, and found
it so hard and tough that the knife had hard work to get through. This
was satisfactory, for it was evidently new and strong.
Then leaving one end hanging, I fastened the lower one to the first rope
I could feel, so that it should not fall to the deck. Then I began to
haul in the uncut portion, and found it came easily enough, but making
every now and then a faint creaking noise as the wheel in the truck spun
round.
I turned cold at this, for though it was very high up, I was afraid the
sound would take the attention of the men on deck.
But they paid no heed, and I hauled away till I felt sure that I must
have at least forty or fifty yards of the line--quite as much as I
wanted; and then I used the knife again, and after replacing it, wound
the line into a skein from elbow to hand, ending by hanging it round my
neck with the ends twisted in so that they could not get loose.
So far, so good, but I had not fastened the other end of the line to
save it from falling, and this I now did.
The next proceeding was, I knew, perilous, but I was desperate, and I
did not hesitate. It was my only chance, I knew, and I must do it.
There was the danger of being heard, and that of making a slip and going
overboard. But I was young, strong, and active, and giving myself no
time to think, I felt in the darkness for the crutch at the thick end of
the gaff or yard which embraced the mizzen-mast below the top--the yard,
that is, which spread the top of the mizzen-spanker--lowered myself down
till I stood upon it, and then taking well hold with hands and knees, I
began to creep softly up and along that diagonally stretched yard higher
and higher till I felt that I must be over the sea.
But in my desperation I did not hesitate. I climbed on, and I know it
was not easy; still I climbed on up that round perilous slope, feeling
that if the sea had been rough I should have certainly been jerked off.
And try hard as I would, I could not help making a little noise, which I
felt sure Bob Hampton must hear, for there he was below me leaning over
the wheel, and his head visible in the binnacle-light.
But he did not hear, and I crept on and upward on my chest, nipping the
yard well with my knees, and clinging with my hands. It was hard and
awkward work, for I had to pass the blocks and ropes which hoisted it
up, and it swung inboard and out as the wind pressed upon the great
bellying canvas, curving down below me to the great boom which ran out
and over the steersman's head some feet above the stern-rail.
Still I climbed on and over the cords which laced the rail to the yard,
and at last clung there, holding on for dear life, having reached the
end with my hands, and grasping the top corner of the great sail edged
with stout rope.
"Now Bob Hampton will hear me," I thought, and I stopped to think what I
should do next. But not for long. Nipping the yard well with my knees,
I passed the hank of line over my head, unfastened one end, and tied it
securely round the top of the yard before letting the coils slide down
inside the hollow curve of the sail, knowing that they would come apart
as they glided down the stiff strong canvas. This done, I hesitated for
a few moments before trusting myself to descend; but drawing a long
breath at last, I took a good grip of the line with my left hand, of the
rope-edge of the sail with the other, and began to slide down, keeping
my chest as near as I could to the canvas.
This was terrible at first, for the upper part of the sail was a long
way on toward being perpendicular, and I had to cling tightly to save
myself from coming down with a run; but every foot after the first ten
grew easier, so that I lay at last well on the great curve, and glided
down almost in silence, only having to grip rope and line hard enough to
keep a little check upon my descent. I followed the edge of the sail
right away out over the sea, to where it was secured to the large
horizontal projecting boom, and here my feet rested as I held on and
looked inboard from where I insecurely stood, faintly making out the
figure of Bob Hampton, who was in perfect ignorance of my descent,
though how it was he did not hear the rustling I cannot make out, unless
he was asleep--though he never would own to it in after days.
A doubly dangerous position I seemed to be in, though nothing to a
sailor; still, in spite of my desperation, I felt nervous and strange as
I now seated myself astride of the great boom riding up and down, and
hauling up the line to find how much there was free.
Plenty to use double; and reaching up as high as I could, I once more
cut it off, doubled it, and then hitched in along the boom till I was
pretty close to the stern-rail, and now once more I made my end fast.
My plan must now be pretty clear to whoever reads, for I had determined
to get down to this boom and then slide down the line to the stern
cabin-windows, through one of which I hoped to be able to creep and join
my friends.
Still the task was not easy, and I hesitated as I held on and looked
down, for all was perfectly dark--so dark that I could not see whether
the lights were open or closed; and if I slid down and found them
closed, and could not make any one understand my position, I was
doubtful as to whether I should be able to climb back. In that case, I
should be swinging and swaying about there, growing weaker and weaker,
till I had to let go and the great waters swallowed me, or I was finally
saved by shouting for help till I was drawn up a prisoner, having run
all these risks for nothing.
For a full ten minutes I was in despair. Then my courage returned, and
I prepared to descend.
But there was another unfortunate matter. The pressure on the sail
curved the boom well to starboard, so that at times it ran out in a way
that would bring me, as I hung there, out of reach of the cabin-windows,
so that I had to judge my time till there was not so much pressure, the
boom had swung back a little, and then I at last prepared to descend.
But I did not begin even then, for I shuddered at the idea of not being
able to climb back to the boom if I failed to get in, and to make a way
back to safety I now hauled up my double line, and proceeded to tie
knots all down it at intervals of about a foot, so as to have something
better to grip than the bare rope.
Down I dropped it once more, waited for the boom to swing nearly level,
and then gripping the line well with one hand, keeping my right arm over
the boom, I leaned forward, drew my leg off from where I had been
sitting, and the next minute I was hanging from the great rounded yard,
and turning slowly round and round over the swirling water which rushed
under on either side of the deeply-hidden rudder.
The distance I had to lower myself was not great, and finding now the
value of the knots, and trying to give myself courage by saying that it
was an easy job after all, I checked myself abreast of a window, but
soon made out that it was closed, for I was not two feet away, and
brought myself closer, and touched it by giving a kick against the
stern. I got my feet close together, and rested on the knot, which,
small though it was, gave me a great deal of support. I contrived, too,
that my hands should also rest above a knot, and in this position I had
to wait again and again, for the turning round motion kept on slowly, so
that for the greater part of the time I was looking right away from the
windows. In addition, there was the swaying movement of the great boom
from which I was suspended, carrying me to and fro across the stern.
I dare not call out, and unless I swayed myself towards the stern I
could not reach the windows, so I was rapidly beginning to find that
what had promised to be the easiest part of my task was proving itself
to be the hardest, when, probably from a turn of the wheel, the ship
made quite a plunge. The big sail with its boom swung heavily, and of
course communicated its motion to me, so that as the cord turned in its
horribly giddy way, I first rode from side to side, and then by degrees
to and fro, with the result that when nearest, I made a dash with one
hand to tap on the window opposite to me; but being unable to govern the
force exercised, my hand went right through the pane, and the glass fell
tinkling to the floor within.
The perspiration stood out upon my face as I heard above me Bob
Hampton's voice cry--
"Hullo! What's that?"
Almost at the same moment the cabin-window was opened, I had a faint
glimpse of a face looking as if out of black mist, and Mr Frewen's
voice said softly--
"Quick, some one; a knife."
"He's going to cut the rope," I thought, and I tried to shout, but it
was like being in a nightmare: my tongue felt paralysed, and as I hung
there clinging wildly to the rope I heard voices on deck.
"What is it? Trying to get out?" some one cried, and Bob Hampton said
in answer--
"Dunno! Breaking glass."
"Where? The cabin-windows?"
"Yes."
But while this was going on, some one leaned out of the window, and the
rope was seized. Then I felt it jar as if a knife-blade was being used
upon it, and this as I had turned round, and my back was toward the
window.
Then my voice came back with the power to speak, and in a quick whisper
I said, as I felt that in another instant I should fall into the sea--
"Mr Frewen!--help!"
There was a quick ejaculation, and the sound of something dropped into
the water; but at the same moment I felt my jacket seized by two strong
hands, and I was drawn close in to the stern of the ship, and held there
fast.