"Oh, there is no risk," said the mate quickly. "But here, make the
plates and spoons look as if they had been used, and then throw all the
soup out of the stern-window."
I brightened a little at hearing this, for the possibility of the cook
having made a mistake was always before my eyes. So after satisfying
ourselves that the men were not likely to return yet, I was one of the
busiest in dirtying the plates and spoons, and ended by emptying the
soup from the window with a feeling of the most intense relief.
"Will it send the fishes to sleep, Mr Frewen?" I whispered, as I
placed the empty tureen back in its place.
"Bad for them if it does," he said, with an attempt at looking merry.
"For their enemies are safe to swallow them while they are napping."
"With both eyes open," said Mr Preddle.
The departure of the soup acted like a charm on all; and after Mr
Brymer had been down once more as far as the forecastle, we all began to
partake of the savoury Australian dish the cook had prepared, with an
abundance of rich gravy, and the whole surrounded by a thick wall of
beautifully cooked white rice.
Though our meals had been rough and unsatisfactory for many hours, every
one began his dinner with manifest distaste, for it was impossible to
avoid thinking of what had been done; but after a portion had been taken
into the cabin by Mr Denning for his sister, and a little of the gravy
and rice to the captain by the doctor's orders, first one made a little
pretence of eating by nibbling at his biscuit, then another tasted the
savoury-looking dish and commented upon it, and a minute later, as a
jovial chorus came rolling out of the forecastle-hatch, Mr Frewen began
to eat.
"Come, Dale," he said, "have some dinner, and forget all that. It was
your duty, my lad."
"Yes; I will try," I said; and making an effort, I mastered my
disinclination and swallowed a mouthful.
"Capital, isn't it?" said Mr Frewen, smiling.
"Yes, it is good," I replied; and I went on, feeling surprised at my
returning appetite.
The result was that Mr Brymer and Mr Denning fell to, and we were
all--perhaps in a forced manner, to encourage each other--loud in our
praises of the dish, of which we ate heartily.
In fact, when I had nearly finished my plateful, a thought struck me,
and after a little hesitation I turned to Mr Brymer.
"Well?" he said. "What is it, Dale?"
"I was thinking, sir," I said.
"What of--the gang singing? They're passing the bottle round pretty
freely."
"No, sir," I said. "I was thinking how tantalising it must be to hear
this dinner going on, and smell it, and not get some."
"Oh, we'll call the men to finish it when we've done. Poor fellows!
they work hard for us, and we will not stand on ceremony now."
"I meant Walters, sir," I said.
"Humph! The treacherous young hound! Why, you don't mean you want to
take him some?"
"Yes, I do, sir," I said quickly. "I don't like him, or defend him, but
I'd give him a plate of this."
Mr Brymer looked round the table and frowned.
"Well," he said, "take him some, but mind he don't get out."
I rose eagerly. Mr Preddle smiled all over his round, plump face, and
well filled a plate, which I bore to the cabin in which Walters was
prisoned, and unfastening it, bore it in.
He was leaning against the ship's side, gazing out of the cabin-window,
and would not turn his head.
"I've brought you some dinner," I said, but he paid no attention, and I
repeated the words, but still he did not move. "Oh, very well," I said.
"If you like to be sulky, be so. I'll take it back."
He faced round in an instant. Hunger is, after all, very taming.
"Set it down," he said shortly; and thereat our eyes met, and he saw my
bruised and disfigured features. His face expanded in an unpleasantly
triumphant grin.
"Oh, all right," I said, setting the plate and biscuit down on the
locker, though feeling all the time as if I should like to take it back.
"Laugh away; you don't look so very beautiful, Mr Pirate Lieutenant."
He gave an angry start, and the smile changed to a savage frown, which
did not improve a pair of terribly black eyes and a cut and swollen lip.
But I was ready to give him quite as defiant a look as I opened the
door, and then going out I re-locked him in, and went back to my place,
ready for some more of the kangaroo stew.
"Well, was he very grateful?" said Mr Brymer.
I shook my head, and finished my dinner in silence, listening the while
to the men, who were singing uproariously.
"Your prescription seems to agree with them, Mr Frewen," said the mate
significantly, as we all rose.
"Yes; but wait a wee, as the Scotch folk say."
"Yes, up by the forecastle," said the mate. "Put your pistols in your
pockets, and we'll keep watch and listen to the effects of the drug
while the men have their meal. Dale, my lad, take Blane at the wheel a
portion, while I send the others to have theirs."
I hastily obeyed, taking a pretty good ration for Barney Blane, who must
have been having pretty good sniffs of the savoury food to slacken his
appetite, and he grinned hugely as he saw me approach.
"That's your sort, sir; I was getting hungry."
"Can you eat and steer too, Barney?" I said.
"Can I eat and steer too?" he cried. "You just set that theer on the
binnacle, sir, and come back in ten minutes and see."
"I will, Barney," I said, "and bring you some grog too."
"And I'll say you're a real gentleman, Mr Dale, sir, that I will, and
drink your health."
"You shall, Barney," I said, turning to go.
"But I say, sir, ain't they pretty lively down in the forksle?"
"Yes, very."
"What did you serve out? Were it rum?"
"No, Barney, soup," I said; "but wait a bit and they won't be quite so
merry."
"No, sir, they won't. It's unlimited grog, for they've got plenty down
below; but, as you say, wait a bit. They will have done by-and-by."
"They will," I said to myself, with a faint shiver of nervousness coming
over me again as I descended the ladder, just as, relieved from duty,
Bob Hampton and Neb Dumlow came aft.
"In with you," I said, "and eat away. The others coming?"
"No, Mr Dale, sir; they've been having their snack along with the cook
in the galley, and got it done."
"The more for you then," I said, trying to laugh, but feeling very
serious indeed.
They entered on tip-toe as if afraid of disturbing the captain and Miss
Denning, and directly after were eating ravenously at the remainder of
the meal.
It was a lovely day, and I could not help thinking what a pity it was
that Miss Denning should not be on deck watching the blue sea and the
silvery, fleecy clouds. Every now and then some fish sprang out of the
clear water as if disturbed by the Burgh Castle's prow as she glided
along due south almost upon an even keel. One moment I felt disposed to
suggest to Mr Denning that he should bring her out to where the sails
cast a shade, but the singing of the men in the forecastle and the
anxious looks of Mr Brymer and the gentlemen with him reminded me of
the serious business in hand.
The cook was busy in his galley, and the two men were lolling about
talking to him now and then, and occasionally glancing aft, waiting for
Bob Hampton and Dumlow to finish before going aft to clear away, and
fetch the things to the galley, where they would get hot water to wash
up.
How beautiful and calm and peaceful it all seemed! The ocean looked so
lovely, and I felt so happy and so much at peace that it seemed a pity
for me to have that pistol stuck in my belt, for it was in my way as I
laid my arms on the bulwarks and my breast against them to listen to the
singing of the mutineers. For they were not shouting now. Their voices
sounded pleasant and sweet, though I could not make out the words, which
came softer and softer, and then there was the chorus almost as soft. I
knew why this was. The drug was beginning to take effect, and I felt
that before long their voices would be quite hushed. They would be
asleep, and I did not mind it now. It was all my exaggerated fancy, I
felt, for it would do them good, and bring them to their senses to find
themselves separated and away from the influence of Jarette.
I turned to look toward the forecastle, near which Mr Frewen was
standing with Mr Brymer, and they were evidently listening attentively,
while Mr Preddle and Mr Denning were close up to the bulwarks on the
starboard side, I being to port.
After a time Mr Frewen approached me, and I began to think that he was
a very much taller man than I had been in the habit of supposing, and
his face was bigger too. It looked larger round than Mr Preddle's and
there was a peculiar, light, rainbow-like look around it as if I was
gazing at him through a spy-glass.
Then I started, for though he was a long way off he took hold of my
shoulder with an arm like a telescope, and shook me.
"What's the matter, Dale?" he said. "Don't look like that, my lad. Not
well?"
"Not well?" I said, or rather it was as if somebody a long way off said
so. "Of course I am. Quite well, thank you."
"Well, don't go to sleep, boy."
He shook me just as I felt as if I was beginning to fly right off over
the blue sea, and away into the fleecy clouds, and as I made an effort
to get rid of the clutch upon my shoulder, he said, or somebody else
said--
"Great heavens! what does this mean?"
I distinctly heard Mr Frewen say that, and wondered what he meant. For
it did seem absurd that he should come slowly up to me till his eyes
were looking close into mine, and then gradually shrink away again till
he was right off on the other side of the ship, and then over the
bulwarks and away at sea, till he was no higher than my finger before he
came back again.
But though he appeared to be so distant, I could hear him breathing hard
all the time.
I was so disgusted that I determined to take no notice of him, and
looked instead at the two sailors by the galley. One of them was
laughing and the other staring at me very hard. Then he began behaving
in the same manner as Mr Frewen, till the doctor said suddenly--
"Drink this."
It was cold water, and tasted, delicious.
"Thank you," I said, with my voice sounding a long way off, and I think
it was Mr Brymer who spoke then, but his voice sounded too as if he
were distant, though his words were perfectly distinct.
"Over-excitement, isn't it, and the heat of the sun?"