The skipper looked at the rest of us. Not one of us but would rather
have met a score of prahus, crowded with Malays thirsting for our blood,
than have boarded that ship; but after Jane Williams had spoken not one
but was ashamed to say what he thought. At last, seeing none of the
others would speak, I answered:
"If the ladies are ready to take the risk, sir, it is not for us men to
draw back. As Mr. Williams says, we are all in God's hands, so let us
do our duty."
"So be it," the captain said solemnly; and turning to the men, who were
clustered in the waist, he ordered a boat to be lowered.
There was a general shout of "No! no! It will be throwing away our
lives!"
Then an old sailor came forward.
"My mates have asked me, captain, to speak for them, and say that they
are of one mind that it will be just throwing away our lives to board
that ship. We are ready to obey you, Captain Peters, to do our duty
like men in storm or calm, but we won't have the plague brought on board
this ship."
There was a general chorus of assent, and some of the men sprang to the
braces, and prepared to haul the yards aft and put her on her course
again. We looked at the captain for orders. There were but three of
us, for the trader and the parson couldn't be reckoned upon in a fight
against the crew, and the passenger mate was still laid up with his leg.
"Men," the skipper said, "remember that there are seven sailors like
yourselves on board that ship who must die if you don't go to their
rescue. Think what your feelings would be if you were in their case,
and a ship came up within hailing distance, and sailed away and left you
to die."
"It comes to this, sir," the spokesman said. "Like enough they will die
anyhow, whether they stop there or whether they come on board. It ain't
a case of saving their lives, for maybe they wouldn't be saved after
all; we should be just throwing away our lives for nothing."
Maybe the skipper was somewhat of the same opinion. Anyhow there was no
good trying to use force, for they were eight to one against us. He
half turned round, and wouldn't, I think, have said any more, when Jane
Williams stepped forward to the poop rail.
"Men," she said, "my father has told me so much of English sailors, how
brave they are, how ready to risk their lives for others, that I cannot
think you really mean to sail away and desert these poor people. We are
ready, my father, mother, and I, to run the risk; surely you will do the
same."
The men stood silent a minute, and then, one after another, turned away,
as if they could not stand her pleading face. But I could see that they
were still determined not to risk having the plague on board. The
sailor said a word or two to his mates and then turned to her.