"That's one enemy the less to deal with," cried the mate, as we went
aft, followed by the sailor. "Only a couple of them to tackle."
"I makes three of 'em, sir," said Hampton, "so don't you make no
mistake. Barney will be as nasty as nasty at seeing hisself the wrong
side, and find as he can fight when he likes."
"Our friend Barney is already accounted for, Hampton," cried Mr Frewen.
"What?--you have tackled him?" said Bob Hampton excitedly, slapping his
knee.
"Yes, that we have, Bob," I cried, "and he is quite safe."
"Then I scuses you all for laughing, gentlemen; though it did seem
rather a rum thing to me for you to be a-busting out in a loud grin at a
serus time like this. I see now. You met him then?"
"Yes, we met him," replied Mr Frewen, leading the way up the ladder to
the poop-deck, "but he must wait."
He cocked his pistol as he reached the top, and we did the same.
"Shall I speak 'em first, gentlemen?" said Bob Hampton, in a low voice.
"Yes, tell them to surrender," said the mate. "We don't want any more
fighting; and look here, Hampton, we want their help to navigate the
ship."
"I know, sir," growled the old sailor, and stepping to the front he
walked straight to where the two men still kept to their posts at the
wheel, knowing as they did that to leave it meant throwing the ship into
the trough of the sea to be deluged by every wave.
"Game's up, my lads!" shouted Hampton. "Orficers has got the upper hand
on us with loaded pistols, and you've got to knuckle down same as we
have, and return to your dooty."
"All right, messmate," said one of the men, shouting back so as to make
his voice heard, "I don't mind; on'y what about Frenchy?"
"Ay, what about Frenchy?" cried the other. "We don't want him to come
cussin' us and saying it's all t'other way on."
"Frenchy's down in the fork'sle, with the hatch over him, and two men
with loaded pistols keeping guard, lads."
"But s'pose he gets out again?"
"They arn't going to let him," said Bob Hampton, "so what's it to be?
I've knuckled down, and so's Neb Dumlow and Barney Blane. Are you going
to return to dooty or make a fight on it? Just say sharp, 'cause we're
in a hurry."
"Oh, we don't want to fight," said the first speaker, "and we didn't
want to mutiny, on'y Frenchy said we was to, and we did."
"Pretty pair o' sheep you was, too, my lads, to run through a gap that
way. And now look here, you, jest recklect all this; you've both got
your necks in nooses, and Mr Brymer here's got hold o' the other ends
of the ropes, so as he can pull 'em any time he likes, and he will too
if you don't stick pretty close to your dooty. That's right, arn't it,
sir?"
"Yes, that's right, Hampton," cried Mr Brymer. "You understand, then,
if you do your duty now and help to navigate the ship into port, your
conduct may--I say may, mind--be looked over."
"Oh, my mate and I'll stick to it, sir," said the spokesman of the two
men. "Frenchy was all talk about our being orficers and gentlemen if we
rose again Captain Berriman, but as soon as we did rose he pumps hisself
up, and it's all Captain Jarette, and every one else is nobody at all
'cept for him to cuss at."
"That was so," growled Hampton.
"Yes," said the other sailor; "but I wants to know this: if we two's got
our necks in the nooses, why arn't Bob Hampton and Neb Dumlow?"
"'Cause we never shoved 'em in, my lad," said Bob Hampton, with a
chuckle. "It was all a paddy till we could get the genle-men out to
make a fight on it. That's so, arn't it, gents?"
"Yes, my lads, Hampton, Dumlow, and Blane have been fighting for us all
through."
"Oh, that's it, is it?" said the man. "Very well. Anything for a quiet
life, I says; on'y how much longer are we to be at the wheel?"
"I'll have you relieved soon, my men, so do your best, and keep easing
her off another point or two now and then."
"Ay; don't keep running her nose into all the big waves, mateys," cried
Hampton; and then to Mr Frewen--"You won't have to shoot 'em this time,
sir. They arn't a bad sort. It was all that Frenchy."
"Come to the saloon now," said Mr Frewen, and we all hurried down into
the black place, and to the door of the cabin, through which we could
hear a growling sound.
By this time Bob Hampton had been made fully aware of the strange state
of affairs, and was indulging in several hearty chuckles at his
messmate's expense. And now as I began to unfasten the door, he said
quickly--
"I'd be a bit on my guard, gentlemen, for Barney 'll be a bit nasty at
all this here, and p'r'aps show fight, and when he do he hits hard. Did
you tie him werry fast?"
"As fast as we could," said Mr Brymer, and I threw open the door.
"Below there, matey!" cried Bob Hampton. "How are you?"
There was a curious growling noise and a loud rap on the cabin-floor.
"Easy, my lad, and I'll cast you off. Wait till I get hold of the
knots. Frenchy's under hatches, and things is all right again."
"Goroo, goroo!" gurgled poor Blane, and knowing exactly what was the
matter, I got hold of the piece of linen that had been used as a gag,
and dragging at one end, soon freed the poor fellow's mouth from its
great stopper.
"Ah!" he roared out, after taking a long free breath. "That was your
game, Bob, but on'y just wait till I gets my lists."
"No, no, my lad," cried Mr Brymer; "it was all our doing, and we made a
mistake in the darkness. We were lying in wait for Jarette, and took
you for him."
"No, you didn't," cried Barney, fiercely, "or you'd have pitched me
overboard--you on'y wait till I get my hands loose."
"Don't be a fool, messmate!" growled Bob Hampton; "you hears what the
gentleman says."
"Yes, but it was a lark, and you sent me here to be ketched."
"Now, hark at him, gents; did you ever hear such a wooden image of a man
as that? Why, it were Frenchy sent you to bully the lads at the wheel,
warn't it?"
"Well, I won't tell a lie," panted the man, "it were, but I arn't been
able hardly to breathe."
"It was all a mistake, my lad," said Mr Frewen; "but we've re-taken the
ship."
"All right, sir," cried Barney; "but it isn't all right. It arn't fair.
I was to help re-take the Burgh Castle, and I was going to, on'y you
all set upon me as you did, and I'm knocked about orfle."
"Well, messmate, it is disappynting, I'll allow," growled Bob Hampton;
"but there arn't much the matter with you, Barney, and out forrard there
was games, I can tell you. Old Frenchy was chucking bullets about
anyhow, and 'stead o' being here in this here cabin with me untying
these here knots, you might ha' been yonder with a hole or two through
your carcadge."
"Ay, that's right enough, matey," growled Blane; "but I wanted to help,
and have it out with Frenchy. He kicked me below when the mootny fust
began, and I can't forget it. I'm English, I am, and I arn't going to
sit down and be kicked by a Frenchman, 'tarn't likely."
"No, matey, it arn't. But lookye here. He's forrard and down in the
forksle, and as soon as you get the feeling back in your legs--"
"Ay, you may say that, mate. They're like a mask o' cold lead."
"Then I'll rub them for you, and then you can go and strike him back."
"What! now he's down. Nice sort of cold meat work that'd be; I wanted
to go at him when he was up."
"There, Blane," said Mr Frewen, "you must forgive us and shake hands.
It was all a mistake, and part of the re-taking of the ship."
"Oh, if you put it that way, sir, I'm ready," growled the man; "but I
don't seem to have got no hands. It was orfle lying here, and one
corner o' that rug as you stuffed into my mouth got a bit o' the way
down my throat, and kep' on tickling me till I wanted to cough, and
couldn't. Say, Bob Hampton, mate, air you going to untie them knots and
cast off these here lashings, or arn't you?"
"Why, they are off your arms, man."
"When what's gone o' my arms? Have they been took off?"
"Nay, they're all right."
"Well, my legs arn't. Nice way to sarve a fellow."
"Shake hands, Barney," I said. "I'm so sorry."
"Can't, sir. You must do it yourself. I don't b'lieve yet as I've got
no hands, no arms, nor anything else, but a head."
"There you are, matey," cried Bob Hampton. "Did you tie them ropes, Mr
Brymer, sir? They was tight 'uns."
"No; it was Mr Dale here."
"Oh, him!" growled Bob Hampton. "Well, they was done in a second-hand
sort o' way."
"Why, they were fastened the way you taught me, Bob!" I cried.
"Well, sir, that's my modesty," said Bob, with a chuckle. "I can't say
they were done now. Now, matey, stand up, we've got lots to do."
"Can't," said Barney.
"Then lie down till we've got a lantern, and seen to the captain and Mr
Denning."
"Yes, get a lantern," said Mr Brymer; "stop, I'll come with you and
stay with Mr Preddle and Dumlow; we mustn't have the scoundrels break
loose. Ha! What's that?"
The mate asked the question, but we all knew what it was, and started
forward at once, for it was the report of a pistol, plainly heard in a
lulling of the wind.