Hot! So hot that I could hardly breathe, and so dark that I could not
see across the cabin. My head ached, and I was terribly sleepy, with a
heavy, unsatisfied drowsiness, which kept me from stirring, though I
longed to get out of my cot and go and open the window, and at the same
time have a good drink from the water-bottle.
I was lying on my brick, and there was the impression upon me that I had
been having bad dreams, during the passing of which I had been in great
trouble of some kind, but what that trouble was I could not tell; and as
soon as I tried to think, my brain felt as if it was hot and dry, and
rolling slowly from side to side of my skull.
I was very uncomfortable and moved a little, but it made my head throb
so that I was glad to lie still again and wait till the throbbing grew
less violent.
"It all comes of sleeping in a cabin in these hot latitudes with the
window closed. Mr Frewen ought to know better," I thought, "being a
doctor. I'll tell him of it as soon as he wakes."
This is how I mused, thinking all the time how foolish I was not to get
up and open the window, but still feeling no more ready to cool the
stifling air of the cabin.
"What makes men snore so?" I thought then, and began to wonder how it
was that so gentlemanly a man as the doctor should make such a noise in
his sleep. I had never heard him do so before. As a rule he lay down,
closed his eyes, and went off fast, breathing as softly as a baby till
he woke in the morning. Now his breathing was what doctors call
stertorous, heavy and oppressed.
"Oh, how I wish he would wake up and open the window!" I thought; but
he did not wake up nor cease breathing so heavily, and I lay thinking
about coming to bed on the previous night. That is to say, I lay trying
to think about coming to bed, for I could not recall anything. I had
some dreamy notion of its having been my watch; but whether I had taken
it, or whether it was yet to come and some one was due to rouse me up
soon, I could not tell.
"It's all due to having such a headache," I thought, "and of course
through this horrid air. Why doesn't he wake up and open the window?"
How long that lasted I cannot tell, but it must have been for some time,
during which my brain burned and my thoughts came in a horribly confused
manner. I could hear the sounds on deck, and feel that the ship was
careening over with the breeze, but these facts suggested nothing to me,
and I must have been in quite a stupor, when I was roused by a voice
saying angrily--
"Well, what is it?"
I knew the voice from its rough harsh tones, and I lay waiting for some
one to answer, but there was no reply, and all was blacker and hotter
than ever, when there came the peculiar smacking noise of one passing
his tongue over his dry lips, and once more he spoke.
"D'yer hear, what is it?"
There was no reply, and it seemed to me that the speaker was settling
himself down to go to sleep again, for he moved uneasily.
"What did yer say, Neb?"
I had not heard Neb Dumlow say anything, and I wondered why I had not,
for I did not think I had been to sleep. But I felt that I must have
been, or I should have heard.
"Mussy me, what a head I've got!" muttered the voice. "Did the gents
give us some rum?"
There was a pause.
"Must ha' done, but I don't recklect. Why, it must ha' been a whole
lot."
My head must have been growing less confused, for now I began to be
puzzled about how it was that Bob Hampton was sleeping in our cabin
instead of just under shelter with the others at the entrance of the
saloon. It was very strange, but I was too stupid to arrange things.
Once I wondered whether I really was in the cabin along with Mr Frewen,
but I got no farther with that line of reasoning, and I was sinking back
into my stupor or lethargy when Bob Hampton spoke again.
"Here, Neb--Barney, open something, and let's have some fresh air. My,
how hot!"
He had a headache too then, and could hardly breathe for the hot
closeness of the place. This roused me, and I lay thinking how strange
it was that he should be just as much indisposed as I was to move. But
he was a fore-mast man and I was an officer, so I had only to speak to
be obeyed, and after making two or three efforts which only resulted in
a dull muttering sound, Bob Hampton exclaimed--
"Here, whatcher talking about? Who is it, and what do you want?"
"I say, open the window, Bob, and let's have some fresh air."
There was a quick rustling movement close by me, as if some one had
risen upon his elbow, and he exclaimed--
"What d'yer say?"
"Open the window, Bob; I'm half-stifled."
"So'm I, my lad. Here, what's the matter? What are you doing here?"
"No," I said; "what are you doing here in the cabin, Bob?"
"I arn't in the cabin, my lad, and you arn't in the cabin, for this
arn't in it, and--Here, I say, what's up?"
"I don't know," I said peevishly, "but it's so hot I can't bear it; do
open something."
"Blest if I--Look here, my lad--There arn't anything to open anywheres,
and my head won't go. Would you mind telling me where the sky-light is,
for I s'pose I had too much grog last night like a fool, and I arn't
werry clear in the head."
"I don't know, I can't tell, Bob. It's all a puzzle."
"And it's so plaguey dark, my lad. Wait a bit and I'll feel round with
my fingers, for eyes aren't no good here."
"Well," I said, for there was a good deal of rustling, "what can you
feel?"
"Chesties and casks, my lad, and we're a-lying on 'em--leastwise I am.
What are we two a-lying on chesties and casks for?"
"I don't know, Bob. But who's that snoring so?"
"Where?"
"Somebody was snoring just now, but it stopped when you spoke."
"Then I s'pose it must ha' been me, my lad. I have heard say as I could
play a pretty good toon on my nose when I was very fast asleep."
"No. There it goes again," I said in a hoarse whisper, as the noise
which I had first heard recommenced.
"Oh, there's no gammon 'bout that, my lad. That there's Neb Dumlow. If
ever you're anywheres and hears a sound like a vessel blowing off her
steam under water, all snort and bubble, you may take your oath it's Neb
Dumlow. Here, I'll stop that."
"Wait a moment, Bob," I said. "I want to know first where we are."
"So do I, my lad, but it seems to me, as my old mother used to say, that
want'll be your master. I dunno, my lad; arn't dead and buried, are
we?"
"Don't talk nonsense," I said peevishly. "Look here,--were you on the
middle watch last night?"
"Dunno, my lad,--were you?"
"I can't recollect, Bob. But do try. We must be somewhere in the dark,
and it's that which puzzles us."
"Oh yes, there's no gammon about that, my lad; we're somewheres in the
dark, and it's 'bout the solidest, thickest darkness I ever found myself
in. Here, I'll wake up old Neb. He's very ugly and precious stoopid,
but he'll tell us where we are in a jiffy. Here! Hi! Avast there!
Neb!"
"Hullo!" came in answer to what sounded like a heavy shaking after Bob
Hampton had crept by me.
"Now, my lad, rouse up a bit."
"Our watch, old man?"
"No; not yet."
"Bless yer. Good-night."
Snore.
"No, no; rouse up."
"Well, all right, messmate. That there's flesh and blood you've got
hold on, not suit. Don't skin me."
"Then wake up."
"Well, I'm woke up. What is it? Who's dowsed the lantern?"
"I d'know. Here's Mr Dale wants you to tell him where we are."
"Mr Dale?"
"Yes; I said so, didn't I, stoopid?"
"Course you did, matey, but what's he doing here?"
"That's what he wants you to tell him, only he wants to know first where
here is."
There was the sound of some one feeling about, and I fancied I could
hear some one else breathing, but I was not sure, and I listened
patiently for what Neb Dumlow was going to say. But Bob Hampton was the
first to speak, and he said in a gruff whisper--
"He's a awful thick-headed chap, sir, but I think he'll hit it off for
us directly."
"Messmate!" came from a little way off.
"Well?"
"Has some one been having a lark with us?"
"I dunno, and I don't know anything," growled Bob. "You arn't wanted to
ask questions, but to answer what Mr Dale wants to know. Now, then,
what d'yer make of it?"
"Nowt."
"Well, where are we?"
"Dunno."
"What!--can't yer tell?"
"Can't find bottom, my lad; only seem to arrive at one thing."
"Well, what is it?"
"Well, it's this here; if it was me and you and old Barney--where is old
Barney?"
"Here, messmate."
"Oh, come then, I might be right, on'y you see we've got Mr Dale with
us."
"Look here, what are you fogging about? Why don't you say what yer
mean, my lad? Now then, out with it. Where are we?--'cause Mr Dale
wants to know."
"Well, as he's here, we can't be here," growled Dumlow.
"What d'yer mean, stoopid?"
"Why, we can't be where I thought we was."
"And wheers that?"
"Why, my lad, it looks like this here 'cording to what I feels. But
stop a moment, let's ask Barney a question. Barney, old lad!"
"Hullo!"
"How's yer head?"
"Just as if it was a beehive, and all the bees swarming."
"That's it. Then we are here, and all I've got to say for myself is, as
I wonder I could ha' been such a fool, and I'm sorry as Mr Dale don't
know better."
"Then where are we, Dumlow?" I said hastily; "for I don't know any
better."
"Then you ought to, sir; you a orficer and brought up proper. I wonder
at you a-leading men into trouble, and there'll be an awful row when old
Brymer finds us out."
"He's got it, sir," said Bob Hampton. "It's what I thought, and it's a
rum 'un."
"Then, where are we?" I said pettishly; for my head kept on feeling as
if it was spinning round.
"Why, sir," said Dumlow; "we're down in the hold among them sperrit
casks as was stowed by themselves, and some one's been opening one of
'em with a gimlet and letting us all drink."
"Hist!"
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
A long, low knocking as of knuckles against a bulk-head.
"Come in!" growled Bob Hampton. "Here's the cook brought your
shaving-water, sir."
The tapping was repeated, and sounded some little distance off.
"Answer them, whoever it is, Bob," I said; for this seemed to be
something, if not tangible, at all events certain.
There was a little rustling about, and the tapping came again.
"Why don't you answer them?" I said tetchily.
"What do you mean, sir--shout?"
"No, no; tap again."
"But there arn't nothin' to knock on, sir. It's no good to hit the top,
or the floor."
"But there must be a partition somewhere," I said.
"Dessay there is, sir; but I can't tell where it is."
"Are we not somewhere near the forecastle?"
"Dessay we are, sir; but my head's some'at like a lump o' solid wood.
What did you bring us down here for?"
"I! Bring you down! Nonsense, man. I did not bring you."
"Then how did we come, sir? Do you know, Neb?"
"No."
"Do you, Barney?"
"No. I only knows here we are, and my head's a rum 'un."
"But there must be some reason for us being here," I said piteously, as
I struggled vainly to get beyond what seemed to be a black curtain
hanging between the past and present.
"Yes, sir," said Bob, coolly; "there must be some reason."
"Then what is it, Bob?"
"Oh, don't ask me, sir; I arn't no scholard. I'm all muzzly like.
Seems to me that we've been to one o' they casks,--and all the time it
don't. No; we arn't had no drink. We shouldn't with all that there
trouble a-hanging over us."
"Yes, Bob," I said eagerly, for he had touched a chord which set me
thinking--I mean trying to think; "that trouble hanging over us. There
was some trouble, wasn't there?"
"Oh yes, sir; we was in a lot o' trouble about something, but blest if I
know what it was."
"Well; try, man," I cried. "Think about trouble. What trouble was it?"
"No, sir, I dunno," he cried, after a pause. "We're aboard the Burgh
Castle still, arn't we?"
"I don't know," I began. "Yes, of course we are, and we must be down in
the hold. It's coming now, I think. Why did we come down here? Surely
one of you must know."
"It arn't likely, sir, if you don't," growled Dumlow.
"But what were we in trouble about?" I said, for--I cannot describe
it--there was the thick feeling of something having happened; but
strange as it may seem, neither I nor the men could make anything out
about what had preceded our unnatural sleep.
"It's a rum 'un," said Bob Hampton at last. "I dunno. It's a rum 'un."
"But cannot either of you think at all?" I cried in agony. "It seems
so horrible to be here like this in black darkness, and not know how or
why."
"Or what?" suggested Bob.
"I think I've got it now," said Dumlow.
"Yes; what is it?"
"All gone mad wi' being so much out in the sun."
"You may be mad, Neb, I arn't, and I don't mean to. I'll take my trick
at the wheel and box the compass with any on yer. Wheel--wheel," he
added, thoughtfully--"steering. Why arn't I at the wheel now?"
"'Cause you're here, messmate," said Dumlow.
"But I was a-steering when you comes, Mr Dale, sir, and brings me a
plate o' wittles, and you says, says you--"
"Oh!" I cried excitedly.
"No, you didn't, sir, beggin' your parding; you says something about
could I steer and eat too, and I says--no, you says--no, it was I says;
well, it was one or t'other of us, I can't quite 'member which says,
`put it on the binnacle,'--and it was put there, and I ate it, and it
was very good."
"Oh!" I cried again, as I pressed my temples with my hands, for I could
see a faint gleam of light peeping through into my head, or so it
seemed; but it kept on dying out again, and I was blank of memory again
as ever.
"Did you say wittles?" cried Dumlow, suddenly.
"Ay, mate, I did."
"Why, I 'members something 'bout wittles. O' course. Me and you, Bob."
"When? Where?"
"Ah, I dunno when it was, nor wheer it was, but--"
"She's dying--she's dying," I cried; for those words came cutting
through the black silence, and gave me quite a pang.
"Who's she? And what's she a-dying for?" growled Bob Hampton.
"Toe be sure, mate," said Dumlow, "that's what Mr Denning says as he
come out of his cabin. `She's dying,' he says, and you and me got up
and sat down again feeling as silly as two booby birds."
"Here, you don't know what you're talking about, messmate," said Bob
Hampton.
"Yes, he does," I cried excitedly, for a greater light seemed to have
now flashed into my brain. "You did go into the saloon to have--Oh, Bob
Hampton, I recollect it all now."
"Do you, sir? Then let's have it," he said gruffly.
"There was a great mistake made," I cried.
"Seems like it, sir."
"And, yes," I continued, "I know Barney went to sleep at the wheel."
"That's a lie!" he rapped out. "Leastwise, I beg your pardon, sir; I
mean I arn't the sort o' man to go to sleep on duty."
"No, no; of course not, Barney," I said piteously; "but you did, and Bob
Hampton and Neb Dumlow came and laid down on the deck, and I saw it all,
and heard it, and, oh dear, oh dear! what a terrible mess!"
"Arn't he going off his head, matey?" whispered Dumlow; but I heard him.
"No, no, man; it's all coming back now. You don't know, but you must
now; it was a plan to give the mutineers stuff to send them all to
sleep, and it was changed and given to us instead."
"Beg pardon, sir," said Bob Hampton; "but hadn't you better lie down and
go to sleep again?"
"Why, Bob?"
"'Cause, to speak plain English, you're talking nonsense, sir."
"No, man; it's sense. That fellow Dean heard all, and changed the
tins."
"Now, do lie down, sir; it's o' no use for you to go on worrying
yourself about tins."
"I tell you I can see it all now, man," I cried angrily. "We took the
stuff, and the prisoners got off. They're out now, and we're prisoners.
Don't you see?"
"No, sir; it's too dark. But--"
"I tell you I'm all right. My head is come clear again, and I can
think. We were all confused through taking Mr Frewen's stuff."
"I never took none o' the doctor's stuff," growled Dumlow. "And I don't
never mean to."
"Are you sure o' what you're saying, sir?" said Bob Hampton.
"Certain, Bob."
"I arn't."
"You hold your tongue, and don't be sarcy, Neb," growled Bob. "I'm
a-beginning to see now. Mr Dale's right. If he warn't, how could we
be shut up down here with our heads as thick as if we'd been having 'em
stuffed? That's it, sir, though I don't half understand what you say.
Then we've all been hocussed, and Jarette's got the upper hand again?"
"Yes, Bob, I'm afraid so."
"Well, that's ugly, my lad; but there's no help for it now, and the
sooner we get to work and take the ship again, I suppose, the better."
"Yes, Bob," I said. "Of course."
"Very well, my lad, then here goes. I'm glad it's how you say, for I
was beginning to think I'd got crazed, and been shut up for being
violent. That's a comfort anyhow, for I don't hold with a man going off
his head."
"Then it's all right, messmate?" growled Dumlow.
"Right as it can be in a place like this, matey. Yer can't breathe, nor
you can't see, and--well now, that's queer. You seem to ha' set my head
working again, Mr Dale, sir; and I recklect sittin' in the s'loon
eating our dinner arter you gents had done, and then coming over all
pleasant and comfble like, and then I don't seem to 'member no more till
I woke up down here."
"And that knocking we heard must be some of the others," I cried
excitedly.
"That's sartain, sir."
"Is there any one else here beside us four?"
"If there be," says Barney, "we're a-lying on 'em, for there arn't no
room without as I can see."
"Yer can't see," growled Dumlow.
"Well, I didn't mean with my eyes, Neb; so don't be so chuff on a
fellow. I meant with my understanding."
"Don't. Don't get arguing together," I cried impatiently. "It is
suffocating down here. I want to understand how we are placed, and I
can't quite make it out yet."
"Well, sir, p'r'aps I can help you a bit," said Bob. "Seems to me as
they pulled up a hatch and pitched us in, and then battened it down
again."
"And where are our friends?"
"Why, they'd shove 'em where we shoved they, down in the forksle, I
should say, unless they've stuffed 'em in the cable-tier."
"Yes, perhaps so," I said thoughtfully.
"Why, o' course," growled Dumlow.
"What? They are in the cable-tier?"
"Oh, I dunno, sir; I was a-thinking about our taking they wittles in the
s'loon, and it's come back like sort o' bells ringing in my ear, and Mr
Denning saying she's dying. Oh yes, I recklect that, and the doctor
coming. That's 'bout as far as I can get."
"I 'member the wittles on the binnacle quite plain now," said Barney;
"and, yes, o' course, I kep' coming over all soft like, and wantin' to
sing songs, and listen to moosic, and couldn't sing; but it was all
silver and gold and sunshine and beautiful birds in beautiful trees.
Yes, it's all right, sir. You see now, don't you, Neb?"
"No, I can't see nowt; but I dessay it's all right. I don't want to
know; it don't matter to me."
"Hush!" I whispered. "There's that knocking again."
There it was quite plainly, and then came a repetition seemingly close
at hand,--three smart taps as of knuckles on a chest.
"There's some one else, and quite near," I said in a low voice.
"No, my lad, that was me. Here's a big case behind me, and I let go on
it."
There were three more taps at a distance.
"Knock again," I said, and this time Bob struck twice.
A few moments later there were distinctly heard two knocks.
"They heard us," I said, and answered. "Try again with one."
He struck once as loudly as he could, and we waited excitedly to hear
one blow given apparently on a bulk-head.
"Those are our friends there," I cried excitedly.
"If it arn't old Frenchy gammoning us, sir," said Barney.
"I think it must be our friends," I said, feeling unwilling to give up
the idea; and I was going to add something, when there came to us
plainly enough the sound of feet passing somewhere overhead, and
directly after a voice shouted something, but what we could not hear.