It was alarming, but on reaching the hatch over the forecastle there was
not much wrong. A desperate attempt had been made to break out, and in
the midst of the effort Mr Preddle had fired his pistol, sending the
ball splintering through the woodwork, and this had the effect of
damping the ardour of the men below for the time. But we did not leave
the hatch till it had been made more secure, and then leaving Mr Brymer
to strengthen the guard as arranged, we hurried back to relieve the
anxiety of Mr Denning and his sister, and of Captain Berriman, who must
all of them be in agony.
I felt that we ought to have gone to them sooner, but I did not see how
we could have acted differently; and eager now to bear the news of the
change in the state of affairs, I trotted back with the lantern as fast
as I could over the streaming deck, and found Barney sitting down and
rubbing his legs.
"Circ'lation's a-coming back, youngster," he said. "I say, did you kill
that young Walters?"
"Walters!" I cried. "I'd forgotten all about him. I didn't see or
hear anything of him."
"Dessay not, sir. He'd get out of the way while the row was on. Maybe
he'd got into a bunk to have a snooze and didn't hear it. But, I say,
what a game!"
"What, our re-taking the ship, Barney?"
"No; you thinking I was Frenchy. Well, it's lucky you didn't heave me
overboard."
"Coming round, mate?" said Bob Hampton.
"Ay, my lad, I've got one arm and a bit o' one leg back, and toothers is
coming back slowly like, but it's rum work feeling nothing but head and
body, and your arms and legs all gone dead at first, and then you begins
to know as they arn't been cut off and chucked away, and they're still
there. They was just like sleeves and stockings stuffed with sorduss,
and people making cushions of 'em and sticking the pins in as hard as
ever they can."
"I'm so sorry, Barney," I said.
"Ay, lad, I s'pose you are, and seeing as you thinked it was old
Frenchy, I don't wonder as you tied them there knots as hard as ever you
could. But what I do wonder at is, that the line didn't cut my legs
right off. Shows as my muscles must be made of real good stuff, and
when I've done rubbing 'em back into shape, I s'pose they'll come all
right once more; but I should have liked to be in the fun."
"Get your pincushions all right, messmate," said Bob Hampton, slapping
Barney on the back, "and don't growl; the game's on'y just begun, and
you shall have first innings next time."
"Think there'll be any more fighting, matey?" said Barney eagerly.
"Think there'll be any more fighting? Just hark at him, gentlemen.
Why, you grumbling old swab, do you think as, once having hold of the
Burgh Castle and calling hisself skipper, old Frenchy's the sort o' man
to let a few planks and a hatchway keep him from making another try?
You wait a bit, old man, if you're so precious anxious to get yourself
made sore. Frenchy won't forget us for gammoning him, and pretending to
be on his side."
"I ain't hankshus to be made sore, Bob, old matey," growled Barney;
"it's a kind o' nat'ral feeling in me to make him sore, and I'm going to
do it if I gets half a chance."
"All right then, Mr Brymer 'll see as you has one, I dessay."
The next minute we were at the cabin in which the captain was lying, but
he rose up on one arm as the door was thrown open and the light of the
lantern flashed in.
Mr Frewen went to him directly.
"How are you?" he cried. "I could not come to you before."
"Tell me," cried Captain Berriman excitedly, "what has been going on?"
"Nothing much," said Mr Frewen, smiling.
"But I heard firing and a struggle in the saloon," cried the captain,
clinging to Mr Frewen's arm.
"Well, yes, we have been re-taking the ship."
"What?"
"Humph! Poor fellow, he could not bear it," said Mr Frewen, as Captain
Berriman sank back half-fainting, but he re-opened his eyes and clung to
the doctor again.
"Too good--to be true," he muttered. "Thank God--thank God!"
There was perfect silence for a few moments, as our poor wounded captain
lay back with his eyes closed. Then with his face losing its feeble,
despairing look, he said anxiously--
"I don't see Brymer; is he hurt?"
"No; quite safe."
"Mr Preddle?"
"We are all pretty sound, and the mutineers are shut down in the
forecastle, sir."
"Oh, if I only had strength!" said the captain. "Doctor, you have half
cured me with this news; can't you give anything to set me up for an
hour or two?"
"Nothing," said Mr Frewen, sadly. "I can only tell you that you must
be patient. You must lie here and give your orders. We will execute
them as far as we can."
"And we are in a bad storm. There must be danger on that side too, but
I can do nothing."
"Mr Brymer will do his best, and there are three of the best seamen to
help."
"What?" he cried excitedly.
"Hampton, and two more?"
"No, no, traitors, don't trust them--the scoundrels."
"No, we arn't, cap'n," growled Bob Hampton. "We was obliged to sham
Abram a bit. Now I do call that 'ere hard, arter me and Dumlow and
Barney helped get the ship back again."
"You did?" cried the captain.
"Course we did."
"Yes, they have been true as steel," said Mr Frewen. "You need not
fear these men."
"And that boy, Walters?"
"Oh, him, sir! He's down below somewheres, and he'd better stay too,"
growled Bob Hampton, "for if he shows his nose, young Mr Dale here's
going to tackle him pretty warmly."
"But have you got the men prisoners?" said the captain, anxiously.
"Yes, quite safe."
"Then the ship must be seen to. She's labouring heavily. Tell
Brymer--"
"I shall tell Mr Brymer nothing," said Mr Frewen firmly. "You shall
give him your orders instead. You can be at peace now, sir, so lie
still patiently, and believe that everything possible will be done to
preserve order and save the ship."
"Yes; thank you," said the captain, whose lip was quivering. "I know I
must be patient. There, I'll try and do what I have not done these many
hours,--go to sleep. But bring me some news sometimes, Dale, my lad, I
shall be so anxious to know."
I promised him, and then we hurried out, for from time to time there was
an anxious whispering going on in the next cabin, which appealed
strongly to Mr Frewen and to me.
He pointed to the door as soon as we were outside, and his voice sounded
very husky as he said--
"Unfasten it, and go in and tell them that all is safe once more."
"Won't you go?" I asked, as I offered him the lantern.
"No," he replied, after making an effort to master his anxiety to take
the lead. "You and Mr Denning were on friendly terms. He would rather
receive the good news from you. In with you quick, and tell him that if
he feels strong enough, I--that is, Mr Brymer would be glad if he would
come and help to keep watch over the prisoners."
"With a rewolver," growled Bob Hampton.
"Yes, say with a pistol," said Mr Frewen. "He would be as effective
there as a strong man."
"Better," growled Bob, "for he understands fire-arm tools, and knows how
to shoot."
I gave a sharp knock at the door, and then unfastened it and entered,
lantern in hand, to see Mr Denning looking ghastly as the light fell
upon his face, where he stood before his sister with a tiny revolver in
his hand, while the other was behind him holding the poor girl whom he
was ready, poor weak creature that he was, to defend as long as he had
life.
They had been so long in darkness that the light of the lantern, feeble
as it was, dazzled them, and they could not see who it was.