"The scoundrels!" he muttered.
"There is no telling what a man may do for dear life," said Mr Frewen,
sadly.
"But Walters. Did you see anything of him?" said Mr Brymer.
I was silent. Something seemed to choke me, and I could not speak for
the hot indignation I felt.
"Poor boy!" groaned Mr Brymer. "I never liked him, but it is horrible
for him to have come to such an end as this."
"Yes!" I said bitterly, as I found my tongue; "horrible for him to have
come to such an end as this."
They did not grasp the truth, and I would not tell them.
"They'll know soon enough," I thought.
"Well, gentlemen," said Mr Denning, speaking now, "there is no doubt
about the catastrophe. What is to be done?"
"Barricade the companion-way," said Mr Frewen, "and shoot down every
ruffian who tries to enter. There is a lady on board, and we must
defend her with our lives."
I saw Mr Denning dart an angry look at the young doctor, whose pale
face had lighted up so that he looked eager and animated.
"What do you say, Mr Brymer?" said Mr Denning, turning from the
doctor.
"The same as Mr Frewen," was the reply. "Doctor, you'll have to patch
me up so that I can fight a bit."
"Your spirit will do more for you than I can, sir," was the reply. "I
am sorry to say, though, that Captain Berriman is completely prostrated.
He must have received a crushing blow from behind."
"Then you will fight?" said Mr Denning, eagerly.
"Of course," said the mate quickly. "Now, gentlemen, please, the first
thing is to pile up all the chests and boxes we have at command in the
companion-way, so as to keep out the ruffians. They will get at the
drink, and then stop at nothing. I'm afraid I cannot lift, but I can
fire a pistol or a gun."
"And I cannot lift," said Mr Denning, with his eyes flashing, "but I
can fire with this and take good aim. I brought it to shoot birds on
the voyage. It will be gaol-birds now!"
Just then there was a stir and movement on deck, and the men gathered in
that saloon made a rush for the door with such fierce determination that
my heart gave a leap, and I felt that I was about to see blood shed, as
I had often read of it in books. But this was no romance.
There were quick whispers, and as it rapidly grew lighter I saw Mr
Denning stand right in the centre with the mate and Mr Frewen, all
armed with guns ready to fire upon any one who appeared; but the alarm
passed off, and Mr Denning being left on guard, the others all set to
work carrying chests and portmanteaus from the different cabins, so many
being available that they were used as so many bricks, and carefully
built up from floor to ceiling, but with openings left in through which
the defenders of the saloon could fire when the attack was made.
I worked eagerly with all the rest till the big entry was completely
filled up, Mr Frewen taking the lead, and lifting and packing in the
chests, till the solid wall was formed--one so well bonded together, as
a bricklayer would call it, that it seemed to me that it would require a
battering-ram to force a way through.
As I walked away, hurrying eagerly first into one cabin and then
another, in search of trunks and portmanteaus that would fit into the
various openings, I suddenly found myself face to face with Miss
Denning, whose pallid countenance lit-up on seeing me, and she held out
her hand to cling to mine.
"Oh, Mr Dale," she whispered half hysterically, "is there much danger?"
"Oh no, I hope not," I said, speaking in an encouraging way; but she
shook her head.
"Don't--don't speak to me like that," she cried. "I'm not a child. Be
frank with me, and tell me as if I were your sister. There is danger,
is there not?"
"Well, I'm afraid there'll be a fight," I said; "but we have plenty of
firearms, and we've got right on our side, and I hope we shall give the
scoundrels such a lesson that they will come down on their knees."
"I'm afraid not," she said. "But tell me, why is it? Is it what they
call a mutiny? I thought all such things were over now."
"So did I, Miss Denning," I said; "but that's what it is. I never
thought of it before, but I suppose we must have a very valuable cargo
on board."
"Yes, my brother said there was a large sum in specie."
"Money, that is, isn't it?" I said. "Well then, that's what has
tempted the scoundrels. But don't you be frightened. Mr Frewen and
the rest will take care that the blackguards don't get into the cabin,
and I'm going to try if I cannot fight too."
She pressed my hand and smiled sadly.
"Yes, I know you and your brother midshipman will be very brave and
fight for us," she said, with a quiet satisfied nod of the head, and I
winced as I thought about Walters; but she did not notice it, and went
on, "You had a very narrow escape, did you not?"
"Oh, I had to run and dodge about in the dark, and then came down a
rope," I replied; "but that was nothing much." And as I spoke I could
see that she was hardly paying any attention to my words, but watching
the cabin-door and listening.
"Tell me how my brother is," she whispered. "Is he quite safe?"
"Oh yes, and on guard."
"He is so ill and weak, it frightens me," she said; "but he will not
listen to me and stay here."
"No," I replied, "how could he as an English gentleman at a time like
this!"
She gave me a quick, half-resentful look; but her face lit-up directly
and she smiled.
"I suppose you are right," she said with a sigh. "It is so hard to be a
woman, and not be able to help. I should not mind so much if I could be
busy."
"But there is nothing to do now, Miss Denning," I said,--"that is, for
you. There, I must go now."
"Tell me though--my brother ordered me to stay here in the cabin--tell
me--couldn't I be of some help? The captain and mate are both wounded,
are they not?"
"Yes, a little," I said encouragingly; "but Mr Frewen has seen to them.
Shall I ask him if you can come and attend on the captain?"
"Yes; do!" she cried. Then quickly--"No, no! I must go by what my
brother says."
"And I must go out in the saloon and help. When all is safe I shall see
you again."
"When all is safe," she whispered despondently.
"Yes, and it is going to be. Oh, it will be all right. May I take
this?"
I pointed to a chest, and she tried to say yes, but only gave a nod; and
shouldering the little box, I hurried with it to find that it was not
wanted, for Mr Frewen was just forcing one in between the top of the
pile and the ceiling, by standing upon a box which Mr Preddle was
holding steady.