"Is she going down?" I asked.
Jarette made no reply, but glanced quickly round to satisfy himself that
we were not taking advantage of the storm to try and escape, while Mr
Frewen rose as if he had expected to be called.
"You want me to come and see the captain?" he said quietly.
"No," was the abrupt reply, and the men drew back, the door was shut and
fastened, and we were once more in darkness, listening to the labouring
of the ship as she rose and fell, plunging every now and then head-first
into some great wave which broke over her and deluged the decks.
The faint streak of light disappeared from under the door-way, and we
breathed freely again as there were heavy steps overhead, and I could
tell that in all probability Jarette and the others had gone to join the
man--or men--at the wheel.
"I don't envy that madman his position, Dale," said Mr Frewen. "His
mind must be in a pleasant state of anxiety, what with the management of
the ship in a storm, his doubts about his prisoners, and the pleasant
little fancies he must have about the laws of our country."
"I think we're best off after all, aren't we?" I said. "Hush!--he's
back again. No--it's Mr Preddle."
"Are you people asleep?" came from the partition.
"Hush! Go away," I heard Mr Frewen whisper loudly, as after all I
found that I had been deceived, for Jarette had evidently come back to
spy upon and trap us; for, with my breath held in my excitement, I could
hear the rustle of a hand upon the outside of the door, and then a faint
clicking and rustling sound, as if the fastenings were being softly
withdrawn.
"Oh, how I should like to give him a topper!" I thought, as I rose upon
my elbow and listened, making out, in spite of the roar of the storm,
every movement of our enemy.
"Why, if Mr Frewen liked, he could strike him down senseless, and then
we should be masters of the ship, for the men would give in if they had
no leader."
People's minds have a way of running in the same groove when there is
anything very particular to be done, and it was so here, for Mr Frewen
was thinking, as he told me afterwards, exactly as I did.
But now I could hear nothing but the creaking of the ship and the roar
of the storm, and I was not sure whether the door had been opened or
not. Suppose it had been, I thought, and Jarette was going to do some
mischief in the darkness!
It was a horrible thought, one which made the perspiration stand upon my
forehead, and begin to tickle the sides of my nose, as I listened
intently for the next movement, or for the sound of his breathing.
But still I could hear nothing, and I longed for a few moments'
cessation of the thud of the waves and hiss and splash which followed,
just as a billow came over the bows and swept the deck with a tremendous
rush and noise.
That was what our visitors had been waiting for. The door had only been
unfastened. It was now opened with a quick dash, so that the noise it
would make might be covered by the storm.
Yes; I could mentally see it all now, though everything was black as
ink. Jarette was standing in the door-way in his oilskins, for I could
hear the crackling sound they made as the noise from the deck and the
hiss of the wind came plainer, and then too, drip, drip,--in those
moments I could hear the water falling from the coat on to the
cabin-floor.
It was all in so many moments. He seemed to be listening either for any
sound we might make, or for what was passing on deck; and then as he
took a step forward into the cabin, there was a sudden rush, a struggle,
and for the moment, as my blood ran cold, I thought that Jarette had
seized and was about to murder poor Mr Frewen.
My hand went to the foot of the cot, and I was dragging out the revolver
hidden there, when a hoarse voice exclaimed in a husky whisper--
"Avast! what are yer doing on, Mr Frewen?--you'll choke me."
"You, Hampton?"
"Ay, at present."
"I thought it was Jarette," said Mr Frewen, panting.
"Wish it had been, my lad," said the sailor, in the same husky whisper.
"My word, you have got a grip! But there, I must get back; on'y look
here. There'll never be a better chance. Here's an old bosun's
whistle; stuff it in yer pocket, and don't blow it till the right
moment. When you do, blow hard, and me, Barney, and Neb Dumlow's with
you."
"But--"
"Butter be hanged, doctor. You've got three pistols, and the door's
open. You let out the mate, Mr Denning, and Mr Fishmonger; wait till
you think the moment's right, and then down on old Frenchy; whistle
hard, and then we'll all make a rush for the others, and drive 'em chock
into the forksle, or overboard if they don't mind. Off!"
"One moment, Hampton;" but there was a sharp rustling of oilskins, and
the man had hurried through the saloon and out on deck, where Jarette's
voice could be heard shouting above the din of the wind and sea.
In the cabin then for a few moments there was silence, and I stood in
that black darkness with my heart beating painfully, waiting for Mr
Frewen to speak, and face to face with the thought that in a few minutes
I might be engaged in a desperate struggle with a man and his followers,
and that they would stop at nothing when attacked.
"Why don't you speak--why don't you speak?" I kept saying to myself,
with a feeling of anger against the man who was absolutely torturing me
by his silence.
But it could not have been a minute, though in my excitement it seemed
to be so long, and he had to make his plans. Then he spoke in a quiet,
firm way.
"Now, Dale," he said, "it is our duty, and we must fight. Forget that
you are a boy, and act like a man. Got your revolver?"
"Yes."
"Charged?"
"Yes."
I'm afraid my voice sounded very husky in my excitement, and my heart
went in leaps and bounds. Frightened? Yes, I was: horribly; and if
under similar circumstances any boy or man tells you he was not, don't
believe him. I wouldn't. I know I was all of a tremble, but I never
felt for a moment that I was going to shrink as I listened to Mr Frewen
giving Mr Preddle instructions about the revolver.
"No, no," I heard him say, "don't stop to re-charge. If it will not go
off, use it as a club." Then he gripped me by the hand.
"Ready?" he whispered.
"Yes."
"Then keep close to me, and come on."
We stepped out into the saloon, shut our door after us, and stood
listening, wondering whether there was a sentry, but all was still, and
concluding that all hands were on deck, Mr Frewen unfastened Mr
Preddle's door in the black darkness. He came out, and his door was
also closed again.
"Follow!"
We went after Mr Frewen, and he stopped at a cabin-door on the opposite
side, opened it, and I heard him say--
"Brymer."
"Yes, who is it? Doctor?"
"Yes, dress sharply. Trousers only."
"I am dressed. What's up? Striking?"
"A blow for liberty."
"Hah! A good time while they're fumbling with the old Castle. How many
are you?"
"Three, and three stout men on deck."
"Who are they?"
"Hampton, Blane, Dumlow."
"All traitors and scoundrels."
"All true men waiting for my signal."
"Good. And the captain?"
"Too badly wounded to stir."
"Mr Denning?"
"Too weak."
"Yes. Lead then; I'll do all you say."
"Are you stronger?"
"Strong enough for that; but give me something to hit with. All right,
I have my pocket-knife."
"Ready then? Come on, and let's see what had better be done."
"Get Jarette down at any cost," said the mate. "The rest will come
easy."
All this was in a whisper, and then we followed Mr Frewen to the
shattered entrance of the saloon, and stood there looking forward, but
seeing very little, though a white peculiar gleam came off the sea, and
a couple of lanterns swung forward, by the side of one of which we made
out the gleam of an oilskin upon whose wet surface the dim light played.
"He'll be up by the wheel," Mr Brymer whispered. "We must tackle him
there; and once get him down, we can beat back the others. I'll make
sure for you."
Just as he spoke all doubt was at an end, for we heard Jarette shout an
order to the men at the wheel; and then, before any plan could be made,
he trotted forward, swung himself down the steps on to the deck, as we
shrank back into the companion-way, and went forward.
"Bah! We've let our chance go," whispered Mr Frewen, and then we stood
fast, for Jarette stopped and turned to come back into the saloon.
"Delivered into our hands," I said to myself, as I drew a long breath,
for the great struggle was about to begin.