There was an uneasy silence for a minute or two, and then the captain
spoke again.
"There cannot be a doubt of it," he said. "My lads," he continued,
advancing towards a number of men who were gathered in a confused huddle
on the forecastle, "I have a few words to say to you. We have traitors
on board. The ship has been run intentionally on the reef. By and by a
searching inquiry will have to be made respecting it; meanwhile I shall
take the necessary steps for preserving discipline, and I call upon all
here to help me in doing so. Let those who are willing to support me
come forward and say so."
The men looked doubtfully at one another; and presently the greater part
of them slunk off and went below. About a dozen of the best hands
remained, and, going up to the captain, declared their resolution of
standing by him whatever might happen.
"Thank you, my hearts," said the captain; "that's cheery! There is
nearly a dozen of you, I see. There's Radburn, Marks, Coxwell, Daley,
Rutley, Wall, Bateman, Hurd, Hooper, and Cookesley. I am obliged to you
all, and I hope your example may help to keep the others right. But we
must guard against a possible outbreak. The first thing will be to
bring out some of the arms and distribute them. I had them all stowed
away in my cabin yesterday, half expecting something of this kind. Come
with me, Mr Rivers, and we'll hand them up."
This was soon done, and it was found that enough had been brought up to
make an ample supply for all the party. Besides the carbines,
revolvers, and cutlasses, there were several rifles belonging to the
officers and passengers. The captain had two, the surgeon and first
mate one each, Vander Heyden and Moritz, George and Margetts, also had
one each; and all these gentlemen were well acquainted with the use of
their weapons. They were a formidable party. Even supposing that all
the crew, excepting those on deck, joined the mutineers,--as the captain
evidently feared they would,--they might well hesitate to attack so
well-armed and determined a company. At all events, it looked as if
such was the case.
"I wonder where Bostock and the others can be," remarked Walters, when
half an hour had passed, and everything remained quiet below.
"I have no doubt where they are," said Captain Ranken. "They are
ransacking Mr Whittaker's cabin, fancying that what they want is there,
though cleverly hidden away. It is fortunate that they made that
mistake, as it has allowed us time to make our preparations. Now the
next thing is to send a boat to Mossel Bay--which is the nearest place
where any ships are likely to be found--and request that something may
be sent to fetch the crew and cargo off this reef."
The pinnace--the most suitable boat for the purpose--was accordingly got
ready; and by the time this had been done, and the men chosen who were
to go in her, the first mate had recovered sufficiently to take charge
of her. When he was informed of what had happened, he said he had no
doubt that the opium must have been given him in a glass of grog, which
he had taken before going on deck. He had poured it out, he said, and
mixed it, when he unexpectedly received a message that the captain
wanted to speak with him immediately in the cabin. He had hastened
thither, but found the door locked. Supposing that the captain had gone
on deck, he had hurriedly drunk off the grog, and followed him. The
opium must have been put in while he was out of the cabin. He
remembered that there had been something strange in the taste; but he
was thinking of important matters, and did not notice trifles, he
supposed.
"Do you remember who it was that brought you the message?" asked Captain
Ranken.
"Not very clearly," replied Mr Wyndham; "but I fancy it was Sherwin."
"Likely enough," remarked the captain. "He and Van Ryk are this man
Bostock's bosom friends. Well, all this must be gone into at a later
time. What we have to do now is to get away as quick as we can."
"There isn't any hope of getting the ship off the reef, is there?" asked
Redgy.
"Not the slightest. She can never swim again. But we must remember
that our chief danger is from these mutinous scoundrels. I am convinced
this plot has been hatched since we left Cape Town. I understand that
all you gentlemen are prepared to stand by me?" he continued, addressing
himself more particularly to Vander Heyden and Moritz, who had hitherto
said very little.
"I am prepared to take my part," answered Vander Heyden, bowing somewhat
haughtily. "If we are attacked, I shall, of course, protect my sister
and property. I have no doubt Mynheer Moritz will do the same."
"Certainly," said Moritz in a more friendly tone; "I am prepared to
stand by the captain, whatever may happen."
"I thank you," said the captain. "Then we have twenty men on whom we
can rely. I am afraid I must reduce the number to sixteen, as I cannot
send less than three men with Wyndham in the pinnace; but sixteen will,
I hope, be sufficient for our purpose. We must keep an armed watch,--
four of us in my cabin, and four on deck,--relieving every four hours.
I will take charge of one party; Mr Rolfe, the second mate, had better
take the other. Remember the spirit-room must be carefully watched, and
any one fired on who tries to force it."
The dawn had broken before the work was half done, and it was morning
when the pinnace, with the first mate and his men on board, took its
departure. There was a favourable breeze inshore; and to Mossel Bay it
was only an hour or two's sail. But it was quite uncertain how long it
might be before she could return, or rather how long it might be before
another vessel could be sent, large enough to carry off the crew and
cargo. There might not be any such vessel in the bay, and Mr Wyndham
might have to go overland to Cape Town, before the required assistance
could be procured. In this event, of course, there would be a much
longer delay--several days, perhaps. If this should prove to be the
case, their situation would be far from agreeable. To say nothing of
the danger from the mutinous sailors, if a storm should come on, the
ship might go to pieces, and their only hope then would be to get on the
reef itself, and shelter themselves as well as they could until help
came. Vander Heyden suggested that such as chose it might be allowed to
get on board the three remaining boats, and make their way to Mossel
Bay, from whence they might get across the country to their destination
at Natal. But the captain would not agree to this. He pointed out that
of the three remaining boats, the launch had been so damaged when the
ship ran on the reef, that it could not swim, another--the long-boat--
was in such a position that it could not be got at, unless with the
consent of the party below, and the remaining one would not hold more
than four or five with safety. They were but just enough as it was to
resist an attack. If they should be further reduced in numbers, the
safety of those who remained behind would be seriously imperilled.
"And what is to become of my sister?" exclaimed Vander Heyden, "if these
scoundrels do attack us?"
"We will all die in her defence, will we not, lads?" exclaimed Captain
Ranken, looking round him. He was answered by a cheer.
"Nay, do not think of me," said Annchen; "I am not afraid. Any way, I
cannot allow the safety of the others to be endangered, in order to
preserve me from harm." There was a second cry of approval.
"None of us will allow a hair of your head to be hurt," cried Margetts.
"No," said Rivers, "you may be sure of that. But I would nevertheless
suggest that the boat should be launched, and kept in readiness for an
emergency. If we should be attacked and overpowered, that might enable
some of us at the last moment to escape. In any case, if a skirmish
appears imminent, Miss Vander Heyden and her brother might be put on
board, and lie off the reef until the result of the encounter is known."
"Why do you propose that, sir?" exclaimed Vander Heyden angrily. "Do
you suppose I am a coward, that I should shrink from an encounter with
these scoundrels?"
"I implied nothing of the kind, sir," returned Rivers. "I was only
carrying out your own suggestion. I suppose Miss Vander Heyden could
not be put into the boat with no one to take care of her?"
Vander Heyden would have made an angry answer, but the captain
interposed.
"You are quite wrong, Mr Vander Heyden, and, I must add, ungrateful
too. Mr Rivers merits our thanks for his suggestion, which I shall at
once put in force. We had better launch the boat at once, while the
deck is in our possession. As soon as she is in the water, we can put a
few provisions in her, and then she can lie off at a little distance.
We had better set to work upon that at once."
All hands went to work accordingly with a will, and presently the gig
was lowered, and got ready for sailing. Then dinner was served, and the
afternoon passed quietly away. Bostock and his companions, if they had
intended any violence, appeared to have abandoned the idea. Probably
the captain's promptitude had disheartened them,--so it was thought,--
and as they knew the pinnace had been sent off to Mossel Bay, they were
aware that assistance would probably come from the shore in a few hours'
time.
Late in the afternoon the captain, who was very tired, went down to get
a few hours' sleep. He was aroused not long afterwards by Rivers.
"Captain," said the latter, "I fear mischief is brewing."
"What makes you suppose that?" said the captain, who had roused himself
on the instant.
"There are two things I don't like. In the first place, the men must
have got into the spirit-room--"
"Hasn't careful watch been kept upon it?" asked the captain.
"Yes," said George, "most careful watch. No one has approached the door
the whole day. They must have broken into the room another way. Any
way, there is furious drinking going on on the lower deck. I clambered
round on the outside, and could see what was passing. Bostock, Van Ryk,
and Sherwin are inciting the men to drink. Half of them, indeed, are
drunk already."
"Could you hear what they are saying?" asked the captain.
"Not very distinctly; there was too much shouting and yelling. But I
could make out that they were inciting the men to attack us."
"They would hardly do that," answered the captain. "They know that we
are armed, and on our guard."
"No doubt, but they are armed too."
"Armed? are you sure? I myself conveyed all the arms in the ship into
the cabin, on the night after we left Cape Town."
"In that case, there is either a traitor among the men who have access
to your cabin, or they have brought their own arms on board. All the
fellows we suspect are provided with cutlasses and revolvers, and I
could see more lying about on the tables and benches."
"Was Andersen, my servant, among them?"
"Yes, he was one of the most forward, apparently, of any."
"He is the traitor, then. But that is of little consequence now. Do
you think they will make their attack soon?"
"Not for another hour or two, I should say. They may ultimately succeed
in getting the men to join them; but they are not ripe for it yet."
"An hour or two may be time enough. Come with me, Rivers; I shall want
your help."
The captain went on deck, and, calling three or four of his best hands
together, told them what he had learned. By his instructions, they
provided eight or ten stout spars, which they carried down below and
placed as a barricade, at the distance of about eight or ten feet from
the captain's cabin, lashing the ends of the spars, so as to make it
impossible for any one to pass. Then the other hatchways were secured,
and a man set to guard each. The captain next went down, accompanied by
Rivers and Vander Heyden, taking with him the second mate, Rolfe, as
well as Marks, Daley, Wall, and Bateman, four of the stoutest and most
trustworthy of the sailors. He placed these in positions which would
command the barricade, some inside the cabin, some in the passage. The
strictest silence was to be observed, and no one was to fire until the
word was given. The captain then lighted his dark lantern, obscuring
the light until the moment of action should arrive. Annchen had been
sent on deck under the charge of Moritz, Vander Heyden having insisted
on remaining below. But Whittaker, Margetts, and Walters had
constituted themselves her special bodyguard.
When all had taken their places, a long silence ensued. The shouts of
the men below were now more plainly heard. It was evident that they
were fast becoming drunk, and at any moment the expected attack might be
made. Presently the noise below ceased.
"They are getting ready," whispered the captain to George; "we shall
have them up in another moment."
His words had hardly been uttered, before they were made good by the
sound of feet stealthily ascending the stairs.
"They think to take us unawares," continued the captain. "They don't
suspect anything about the barricade."
Presently there was a cry of surprise, followed by a volley of oaths.
Then a light was struck, and the mutineers were seen trying to tear down
the spars which blocked their passage.
"You had better leave off that, and go below!" shouted Captain Ranken.
"We are prepared for you. If you attempt to remove those spars, you
will take the consequences."
"Let fly at them," said a voice, which the captain recognised as that of
Bostock,--"let fly at them, and particularly at that Dutchman."
Half a dozen pistols were discharged, three of them directly levelled at
Vander Heyden, who was standing close to the captain. He had a narrow
escape. One of the bullets would have struck him in the heart if
Captain Ranken had not at the moment changed his position, and it struck
his epaulet. A second grazed his temple, the third was lodged in the
partition behind him.
"Your blood be on your own heads!" cried the skipper. "Fire on them!"
A general discharge followed, by which it was evident considerable
execution was done. Several were seen to fall, and among them Bostock
and Van Ryk; but whether these were killed or dangerously wounded did
not appear. They were either able, however, to crawl down below, or
were carried off by their companions.
"They got that hot and strong, sir," remarked Rolfe; "I don't think
they'll try it again."
"It depends a good deal on whether the leaders are killed or severely
wounded," returned the captain. "As for Bostock, you hit him fairly,
Mr Vander Heyden. The bullet struck him below the hip. But whether it
was a slight or a severe wound, I can't say."
"I think it was only a flesh wound," rejoined the Dutchman. "The other
fellow--Van Ryk, his name is, I believe--was more seriously hurt, I
fancy."
"I hope he is. If those two men should be silenced, we needn't be
afraid of the others. Well, we are safe for the night, I think, and we
must hope that help will come to-morrow."
The captain's words were so far made good, that the rest of the night
passed in quiet. The forenoon of the next day was a time of great
anxiety, which no one felt so keenly as the captain. He knew that if
Wyndham did not return, it could be only because some accident had
happened to his boat, or because he had been unable to obtain any help
in Mossel Bay, and had been compelled to go overland to Cape Town. The
distance thither from Mossel Bay was more than two hundred miles, and
the means of getting there not easy to procure. Even if he could find
horses to carry him the whole distance, it would probably take him a day
or two to reach the town. Then, no doubt, a vessel would be fitted with
as little delay as possible. But probably two or three days more must
elapse before it could reach the reef.
Altogether, it was not unlikely that a full week would pass, during
which they would have to remain in their present situation, unless,
indeed, they could attract the attention of some passing vessel. As the
hours went by, the captain grew more and more despondent; and at last it
became only too evident that Wyndham's speedy return could not be looked
for.
"We are in for this, Rivers," he said, as they stood together on deck,
looking anxiously toward shore, half an hour or so before sunset;
"unless we are picked up by some ship, we may have to stay a week on
this reef, and there is no disguising that, if it should be so, our
lives are in the greatest danger."
"Do you apprehend a storm coming on, sir?" asked Rivers.
"I see no signs of that, though in this climate the changes of weather
are so rapid that one is never secure for six hours together; but that
is not what I am afraid of. These men will get desperate--the
ringleaders, that is. They know there is a rope round their necks in
consequence of last night's work, and they will get away from the reef
at all hazards before Wyndham's return, if by possibility they can."
"I don't see how they can force their way on deck in the face of our
fire, any more than they did last night, sir; I don't see how they could
remove the barricade either."
"They might contrive to cut the ropes which hold one of the spars," said
the captain,--"that is, if they could work in the dark. But I shall
take care that the passage is kept lighted all night, so they won't
attempt that I think they will try to blow up the hatchways. They have
got plenty of powder, and it would not be a difficult thing to do. They
would lose some men in forcing their way up; but their numbers so
greatly exceed ours, that, once on deck, we should have no chance with
them."
"You think all the ship's company will go along with Bostock and Van
Ryk, then?"
"I am a good deal afraid of it. I don't think they'd have done this of
their own heads. But these two rascals are exceedingly clever, and
will, I have no doubt, make out a plausible story. They will persuade
the poor fellows that, if they are caught, they will be charged with
mutiny for what has been done already. They'll tell them it is their
only hope to get off the reef before help comes, and they must cut all
our throats to accomplish that."
"And we can't take to the boats, and be gone ourselves?"
"That is what the Dutchman proposed yesterday. But I then pointed out
that we cannot get at the long-boat without exposing ourselves to the
fire of the mutineers. Nor would they, of course, let us repair the
other boat, even if she could be repaired. I only guessed then that
they would attack us. It is unfortunately only too certain now. We
should simply be playing their game. If they could overpower us, or, in
plain English, murder us, they would no doubt go off in the three boats,
or make a raft, if the boats would not hold them all. But while we
remain here, that would be impossible.
"No," resumed the captain presently; "we must go on as we have begun.
It really looks as though the men were unable to devise any plan of
attacking us; in which case it is most probable that they will submit,
and throw themselves upon my mercy. It is only against a few, you see,
that direct mutiny can be proved. Nor have I quite given up the hope
that Wyndham may have found a ship at Mossel Bay, though her sailing may
have been delayed. Perhaps the men also are reckoning on the
possibility of that, and will not commit themselves further, until they
feel sure that he will have to go on to Cape Town for help. But all
that we can do is to keep a bright look-out, and be ready for action at
a moment's notice. I shall go and lie down now for two or three hours,
as I feel quite worn out; but I shall trust to you, Rivers, to rouse me
if there should be the slightest necessity. You are the only man on
board I can thoroughly trust, for, though Rolfe and McCarthy are good
fellows, they are not equal to an emergency. But you know what you are
about."
They parted. George took a turn or two up and down the deck, apparently
buried in thought. Then he laid aside his cutlass and pistols, put on a
sailor's jacket that was lying on the deck, and tied a handkerchief
round his head. Having completed these preparations without attracting
notice, he disappeared below.
It was about three hours afterwards that the captain was a second time
roused from his sleep by a hand laid on his chest. He started up
instantly, and was about to speak, when George Rivers, who was his
visitor, stopped him.
"Don't wake the others, sir," he said. "If you will come on deck, I
have something important to tell you. I wish to say, sir," he continued
when they were seated out of the sight and hearing of any of their
companions, "that I have been down among the men, and have learned
pretty accurately what they mean to do."
"Down among the men--among the mutineers?" exclaimed the captain. "How
did you manage that?"
"Well, it was not so very difficult, sir. Several of the men had left
their jackets on deck, as well as a handkerchief or two. I put two of
these on, pulling the handkerchief well over my forehead, so that by the
dim light on the lower deck it was hardly possible that I could be
recognised, even if any one noticed me, which was hardly likely. Then I
untied one of the ropes, and so got through the barricade. I went to
the head of the ladder and listened. There was loud and angry talk
going on, and several of the speakers seemed to be more than half drunk.
I crept cautiously down, ready to make a bolt up again if any one
hailed me, but they were all too busy to notice me. I crept into a
corner and lay down, as if asleep, drawing a sailcloth half over me. I
lay there for a couple of hours, I should think, and learned all I
wanted to know. After that I took advantage of a violent quarrel which
broke out among them, to creep up-stairs in the same way as I had crept
down, and then secured the spar."
"You have done nobly?" exclaimed the skipper. "And what have you
learned?"
"I learned, first of all, that nothing will be attempted to-night,
though an attempt will be made to-morrow. In the first place, it
appears that Sherwin was one of those killed in the skirmish, though
they contrived to carry him off. Van Ryk and Bostock were wounded,
though not severely. Bostock was hit in the right leg, and is unable to
use it, though the wound is already greatly better. They won't stir
unless he leads them, and that he can't do this evening."
"That is fortunate. They are not afraid of Wyndham's return, then?"
"No; they seem to feel sure that he has failed to find a ship in Mossel
Bay. Indeed, one of the men said he had gone over to the bay from Cape
Town, only a day or two before the _Zulu Queen_ sailed, and there was no
ship there, and none expected."
"I feared as much," said the captain. "Well, then, what are the men's
intentions? Do they all go along with Bostock?"
"I am afraid they do," returned George. "Bostock has persuaded them
that there is an enormous sum of money in gold stowed away in the
cabin--enough, as he told them, to make them all rich for life. If it
hadn't been for the barricade, he said, of which no one had any idea,
this would have been in their possession already. But as it is, it is
theirs as soon as they choose to seize it. They evidently believe they
can get on deck whenever they please--"
"Did you ascertain how?" interrupted the captain eagerly. "Not exactly,
sir, but I fancy they mean to blow a hole in the ship's side, and so get
down on to the reef, which at low water extends for several feet beyond
the ship--"
"Yes, yes," said the captain, "I was afraid so; no doubt they could do
that. Go on."
"Well, I expect they will make their way out in that manner, and,
although we may be able to kill half a dozen of them before they knock
us on the head, they would certainly do so, sooner or later. None of
our party are to be spared, except, I am sorry to say, Miss Vander
Heyden. Bostock means to carry her off with him."
"The brute!" exclaimed the captain. "He shan't do that, Rivers."
"No, sir. I would blow out her brains with my own hand sooner than
allow it?"
"And so, to do him justice, would her brother, or Mr Moritz either--
nay, I am persuaded she would do it herself! Well, Rivers, we are in
for this, and we must get out of it the best way we can. But I must own
I am at my wits' end. Can you suggest anything?"
"It has occurred to me, captain, that we might possibly, if we were hard
driven, get on to the other part of the reef yonder, and take provisions
with us enough to last two or three days. They couldn't get at us
there, I imagine."
The captain looked in the direction to which George pointed. There was
another reef, or, more properly, another part of the same reef, divided
from that on which the ship was lying by a deep channel some twenty or
thirty yards wide. It rose a good deal higher out of the water, and was
so plainly visible at all states of the tide that nothing but design, or
the most culpable carelessness, could have caused the disaster.
"That is a good thought," he said. "If ever I command a ship again, I
must make you my first mate. That reef will be our salvation. We must
not lose a moment in getting across, and taking all we want with us. Go
and wake all the hands, and bring them on deck at once. If we wait for
the moon, the rascals may see us. It is lucky that we have Marks and
Cookesley, the ship's carpenters, among our party."