THE CAPE VERDES--DIONYSIUS'S EAR--UNWELCOME NEWS--FRENCH LEAVE--THE
SKIPPER'S WRATH--A SCRAPE.
Three or four days had passed, the weather appearing each day more
delicious than the last. The _Hooghly_ sped smoothly and rapidly before
the wind, and at daybreak on the fifth morning notice was given that the
Cape Verde Islands were in sight. The sky, however, grew thick and
misty as they neared land; and it was late in the forenoon before they
had approached near enough to obtain a clear view of it.
"I wonder why they call these islands _Verdes_?" observed Gilbert, as
the vessel ran along the coast of one of the largest of the group, which
was low and sandy and apparently barren; "there doesn't seem to be much
_green_ about them, that I can see."
"No, certainly," said Warley; "a green patch here and there is all there
is to be seen, so far as the sea-coast is concerned But the interior
seems a mass of mountains. There may be plenty of verdure among them,
for all we know."
"No," said Mr Lavie, who was standing near them. "Their name has
nothing to do with forests or grass-fields. There is a mass of weed on
the other side of the group, extending for a long distance over the sea,
which is something like a green meadow to look at--that's the meaning of
the name. There are very few woods on any of the islands, and this one
in particular produces hardly anything but salt."
"They belong to the Portuguese, don't they?" asked Frank.
"Yes; the Portuguese discovered them three centuries and a half ago, and
have had possession of them ever since. Portuguese is the only language
spoken there, but there are very few whites there, nevertheless."
"Why, there must be a lot of inhabitants," remarked Ernest, his eye
resting on the villages with which the shores were studded.
"Yes, from forty to fifty thousand, I believe. But they are almost all
of them half-breeds between the negroes and the Portuguese."
"Well, I suppose there's some fun to be had there, isn't there?"
inquired Frank.
"And something to be seen?" added Warley.
"And first-chop grub?" wound up Gilbert. "There's plenty to see at
Porto Prayo," returned Mr Lavie. "The town, Ribeira Grande they call
it, is curious, and there are some fine mountain passes and grand views
in the interior. As for grub, Master Nick" (for this sobriquet had
already become young Gilbert's usual appellative), "there are pretty
well all the fruits that took your fancy so much at Madeira--figs,
guavas, bananas, oranges, melons, grapes, pine-apples, and mangos--and
there's plenty of turtle too, though I'm not sure you'll find it made
into soup. But as to fun, Frank, it depends on what you call fun, I
expect--"
"Let us go ashore," interrupted Nick, "and we shall be safe to find out
lots of fun for ourselves. It would be jolly fun, in itself, to be
walking on hard ground again, instead of these everlasting planks. I
suppose, as these islands belong to the Portuguese, and we've no quarrel
with them, the skipper will go ashore, and allow the passengers to do so
too?"
"He'll go ashore, no doubt," said a voice close at hand; "but he won't
let you go, I'll answer for that."
The boys turned quickly round, and were not particularly pleased to see
the first lieutenant, Mr Grey, who had come aft, to give some orders,
and had overheard the last part of their conversation. Mr Grey was no
favourite of theirs. He was not downright uncivil to the boys, but he
was fond of snubbing them whenever an occasion offered itself. It was
generally believed also that a good deal of the captain's harshness was
due to the first lieutenant's suggestions.
"You'd better leave the captain to answer for himself," remarked Frank,
his cheek flushing with anger. "I don't see how you can know what he
means to do."
"Perhaps you mayn't see it, and yet I may," returned Mr Grey calmly.
"Why shouldn't he let us go ashore, as he did at Madeira?" asked Warley.
"Nothing went wrong there."
"I beg your pardon," replied the lieutenant; "things did go wrong there,
and he was very much displeased."
"Displeased," repeated Warley, "displeased with us? What do you mean,
Mr Grey?"
"I mean that you are not to go ashore," returned the other curtly, and
walking forward as he spoke.
Ernest's cheek grew almost as crimson as Frank's had done. The apparent
insinuation that he had misconducted himself while on his parole of good
behaviour, was one of the things he could least endure. Mr Lavie laid
his hand on the boy's arm.
"Hush, Ernest!" he said, checking an angry exclamation to which he was
about to give vent. "Most likely Mr Grey is not serious. Anyway, if
the captain does forbid your going ashore, you may be assured he has
good reasons--"
"What reasons can he have?" interposed Gilbert; "we are no more likely
to get into trouble here than at Madeira, and who has a right to say we
did anything wrong there?"
"The first lieutenant _didn't_ say so," observed the surgeon. "I think
there is some mistake. I'll make inquiries about the matter before we
enter the harbour."
He moved away, and the boys resolved to retreat to their den, where they
might hold an indignation meeting without molestation. This den, to
which its occupants had given the classical name of "Dionysius's ear,"
or more briefly, "Dionysius," was an empty space on the lower deck,
about six foot square, where various stores had been stowed away. By
some oversight of the men a dozen chests or so had been left ashore, and
a vacant place in a corner was reserved for them. When, however, they
were brought aboard, they could not conveniently be lowered, and were
secured on deck. Master Nick, in the course of his restless wandering,
had lighted on this void space, and it occurred to him that it would
make a snug place of retreat, when he wished to be alone, as he not
unfrequently did, in order to escape the consequences of some piece of
mischief. When his friendship with his companions had been sufficiently
cemented, he had communicated the secret to them, and Frank at once
appreciated its value. Advantage had been already taken of it on one or
two occasions, to evade an unwelcome summons from the skipper, or smoke
a pipe at interdicted hours.
To be sure it was not a very desirable retiring room, and most persons
would have considered a Russian or Neapolitan dungeon greatly preferable
to it. As the reader has heard, it was about six foot square. It was
lighted by a dead light in the deck above, which had fortunately been
inserted just in that spot. Whatever air there was, came through the
barrels, or along the ship's sides. But it is needless to say it was at
all times suffocatingly close, and nothing but a boy or a salamander
could have long continued to breathe such an atmosphere. Entrance was
obtained by pulling aside a small keg; the removal of which allowed just
enough room for any one to work his way in, like an earthworm, on his
stomach. Then the keg was drawn by the rope attached to it into its
place again, and firmly secured to a staple in the ship's side.
Whatever might be its other defects, it was certainly almost impossible
of detection.
Arrived here, our three heroes lay down at their leisure on some sacks
with which they had garnished their domicile, and proceeded to discuss
the matter in hand, lowering their voices as much as possible, as they
had discovered that conversation might be heard through the barrels by
any one on the other side, which fact, indeed, was the explanation of
the name bestowed on their retreat. They were not at first agreed as to
the steps to be adopted. Nick was for going ashore under any
circumstances--the difficulty of accomplishing his purpose, and the fact
of his having been forbidden to essay it, being, in his eyes, only
additional incentives. Frank was not disposed to make the attempt, if
his uncle really had interdicted it; but he professed himself certain
that no such order had been given by anybody but the first lieutenant,
and he was not, he said, going to be under his orders. Warley for once
was inclined to go beyond Frank, and declared that though he would obey
the captain's order if any reasonable ground for it was assigned, he
would not be debarred from what he considered his right as a passenger,
by any man's mere caprice. He added, however, that he thought it would
be better to hear what Lavie had found out, before coming to any
resolution.
"Well, it is time we should see the doctor, if we mean to do so,"
remarked Frank, after an hour or so had passed in conversation. "We
must be entering Porto Prayo by this time, or be near it at all events;
and he must have had lots of time to find out everything."
"Very good; one of us had better see Mr Lavie at once," said Ernest.
"I'll go, if you like, and come back to `Dionysius' here, as soon as I
have anything to tell."
He departed accordingly, and returned in about half an hour, looking
very cool, but very much annoyed.
"Hallo, Ernest, what's up now?" exclaimed Nick, as he caught sight of
his face. "What does the doctor say?"
"I haven't seen the doctor," answered Warley. "One of the crew has been
taken dangerously ill, and the doctor has been with him ever since he
left us."
"What have you learned, then?" asked Frank. "Are we in the harbour?"
"We're in the harbour, and the skipper's gone ashore. I saw his boat
half-way to the beach. Captain Renton, Mr May, and Mr De Koech have
gone with him. They are the only passengers who wanted to go."
"Well, but I suppose there are some shore boats that would take
passengers to and fro."
"The captain has given orders that no shore boat is to be allowed
alongside. He won't even allow the fresh provisions, or the water, to
be brought aboard by any but the ship's boats. I saw the largest cutter
with the empty water-casks in her, lying ready to go ashore presently."
"Who told you this?" inquired Wilmore, half incredulous.
"Old Jennings, the quartermaster. He has charge of the boat. He said
the captain's resolved we shan't leave the ship."
"It's an infamous shame," said Frank. "I declare I've half a mind to
swim ashore. It can't be very far."
"No," said Nick, "but it wouldn't be pleasant to land soaking wet, to
say nothing of the chance of ground sharks. Even Lion had better not
try that dodge. But I'll tell you what--if the boat is lying off the
ship's side, with a lot of ankers in her, why shouldn't we creep in
among them, and go ashore unbeknown to the first lieutenant?"
"We should be seen getting aboard," said Frank.
"No, we shouldn't. The men are at dinner just now, and we can slip in
when the backs of the fellows on deck are turned."
"I forgot that," said Frank; "but we should be certain to be seen when
we landed."
"Ay, no doubt. But that will be too late, won't it? Once ashore, I
guess they must be pretty nimble to catch us; and besides, old Jennings
is too good-natured to do anything against us, which he isn't obliged to
do."
"Well, that's true, certainly," returned Wilmore. "What do you say,
Warley? Are you game to make the trial?"
"Yes, I am," returned Ernest. "I think it is regular tyranny to oblige
us to stay in the ship, when there is no reason for it, except the
captain's caprice. But if we mean to try this, we must make haste."
The three lads hurried on deck; and a glance showed them they were just
in time. There were only two or three men to be seen, and they were at
the other end of the ship. They skimmed nimbly down the ladder, and
found no difficulty in concealing themselves at the bow end of the boat,
which was completely hidden from sight by the empty casks. They had not
been in their hiding-place very long, before the old quartermaster and
his men were heard coming down the side. The shore was soon reached,
and the keel had no sooner grated on the sand, than the boys sprang out
and ran up the beach, saluting old Jennings with a parting cheer as they
went.
"Well, I never," muttered the old man. "The cap'en 'ull be in a nice
taking when he hears of this! And there ain't no chance but what he
_will_ hear of it. We've Andy Duncan in the boat, and he carries
everything to the first lieutenant, as sure as it happens. Well, I
ain't bound to peach, anyhow--that's one comfort!"
Meanwhile the captain had gone on shore, his temper not improved by the
report of the doctor which had been brought to him as he was leaving the
vessel, that another of his best hands was rendered useless--for several
weeks to come at all events--by a bad attack of fever, which might very
possibly spread through the ship. He returned on board after nightfall,
still more provoked and vexed. He had met with the greatest difficulty
in his attempts to fill the places of his missing men. There were, as
the reader has been told, very few whites on the island, and none of
them were sailors. The blacks were very unwilling to engage, except
upon exorbitant terms, and hardly one of those with whom he spoke
appeared good for anything. He had at one time all but given up the
matter in despair. But late in the afternoon he was accosted by a
dark-complexioned man, lean and sinewy as a bloodhound, who informed him
that the vessel in which he traded between the South African ports and
the West Indian Islands, had been driven on the Cape Verdes and totally
wrecked. But the crew had escaped, he said, and were willing to engage
with Captain Wilmore for the voyage to Calcutta.
The captain hesitated. He had little doubt that the lost vessel had
been a slaver, and he had an instinctive abhorrence of all engaged in
that horrible traffic. Still there seemed no other hope of successfully
prosecuting the voyage, and after all it would be a companionship of
only a few months. He resolved to make one effort more to obtain less
questionable help, and if that should fail, to accept the offer.
Desiring the stranger to bring his men to the quay in an hour's time, he
once more entered the town, and made inquiries at all the houses to
which sailors were likely to resort. His success was no better than it
had been before, and he was obliged to close with the proposal of the
foreign captain. He liked the looks of the crew even less than those of
their captain. There were eighteen of them, however, and all strong
serviceable fellows, if they chose to work. He must hope for the best;
but even the best did not appear very promising; and if the Yankee
captain, who had been the prime cause of the mischief, had been
delivered into his hands at that moment, it is to be feared he would
have met with small mercy.
In this frame of mind he regained the _Hooghly_, and shortly after his
arrival was informed by the first lieutenant of the escapade of the
three boys, with the gratuitous addition that he had himself delivered
them the captain's message--that no one was to be permitted to leave the
ship, except those who had gone ashore with the captain.
The skipper's wrath fairly boiled over. He vowed he would straightway
give his nephew a smart taste of the cat-o'-nine-tails, and put the
other two into irons, to teach them obedience. The boatswain
accordingly was summoned, and the delinquents ordered into custody, but
after a delay of half an hour, during which the captain's wrath seemed
to be every moment growing hotter, it was announced that the boys could
not be found, and the boat's crew sent ashore with the water-casks
positively declared that they did not return with them. As no other
boats but theirs and the captain's had held any communication with the
land, it appeared certain that the young gentlemen were still on shore,
intending probably to return by a shore boat later in the evening.
"Do they?" exclaimed Captain Wilmore fiercely, when this likelihood was
suggested to him by Mr Grey. "They'll find themselves mistaken, then.
Up with the anchor, Crossman, and hoist the mainsail. Before their boat
has left the quay, we shall be twenty miles from land. Not a word, Mr
Lavie. A month or two's stay in these islands will be a lesson they'll
keep by them all their lives."
No one ventured to remonstrate. The anchor was lifted, the great sails
were set, and in half an hour they were moving southward at a pace which
soon left the lights of Porto Prayo a mere speck in the distance.
But the boys had not been left behind, though no one but themselves and
old Jennings was aware of the fact. He had kept the boat from putting
off on her return to the ship, on one pretext or another, as long as he
could venture to do so, in the hope that the lads would make their
appearance. But he was aware that Andy Duncan's eye was upon him, and
could not venture to delay longer. It happened, however, that soon
after his return, Mr Lavie had found it necessary to send on shore to
the hospital for some ice, of which they had none on board, and old
Jennings had volunteered to go. He took the smallest boat and no one
with him but his nephew, Joe Cobbes, who was completely under his
orders. He landed at a different place from that at which the boat had
been moored in the morning, and sent his nephew with the message to the
hospital. He then made search after the boys, whom he soon discovered
at the regular landing-place, waiting anxiously for some means of
regaining the _Hooghly_.
"Hallo, Jennings," exclaimed Frank, as he caught sight of the old man's
figure through the fast gathering darkness; "that's all right, then. I
was afraid we were going to stay ashore all night?"
"I hope it is all right, sir," answered Jennings, "but if the captain
finds out that you've been breaking his orders--"
"I don't believe he has given any order--" interrupted Frank. "And it
would be monstrous if he had," exclaimed Ernest in the same breath.
"I don't know what you believe, Mr Frank, but it's sartain he has
ordered that no one shall leave the ship; and I don't know as it's so
unreasonable, Mr Warley, after the desertion of the hands at Madeira."
"We never heard of their deserting," cried Warley.
"I dare say not, sir. It was kep' snug. But that's why the cap'en
would allow no boats to go ashore, except what couldn't be helped. You
see, sir, if more of the men were to make off, there mightn't be enough
left to work the ship, and if there came a gale--"
"Yes, yes; I understand that," again broke in Frank, "but we didn't know
anything about their deserting."
"Well, sir, it was giv' out this morning as that was the reason, and
every one, I thought, knew it. But anyways, sir, you'd best come and
get aboard my boat, and keep out of the skipper's way. He'll be sure to
find out about your doings. Andy 'ull tell the first lieutenant, and
he'll tell the skipper--"
"I am sure I don't care if he does," exclaimed Warley.
"Ah, you don't know him, sir. He's not a man as it's wise to defy.
Wait a bit; let him cool down and he's as pleasant a man as any one.
But when he's put up, old Nick himself can't match him. I don't mind a
gale of wind off the Cape, or boarding a Frenchman, or a tussle with a
pirate, but I durstn't face the cap'en, when he's in one of his takings.
Come along, and get into the boat."
The lads obeyed, somewhat subdued by Jennings' representations, which
were evidently given in good faith. They allowed the old man to cover
them with a tarpaulin, which he had brought for the purpose, and in
accordance with his directions lay perfectly still.
Presently Cobbes returned with the ice, and the boat was rowed back to
the ship. It was pitch dark before she came alongside, and her approach
was hardly noticed. Jennings made for the gangway, and having
ascertained that Captain Wilmore was still on shore, sent his nephew
with the ice to the doctor's cabin. He then suffered the boat to float
noiselessly to the stern, where he had purposely left one of the cabin
windows open; through this the boys contrived, with his help, to
scramble.
"You'd better hide somewhere in the hold, Mr Frank," he whispered, as
young Wilmore, who was the last, prepared to follow his companions.
"No, on the lower deck, Jennings; we've a hiding-place there, no one
will find out. When you think it's safe for us to show ourselves, come
down, and whistle a bar or two of one of your tunes, and I'll creep out
to you. But I hope we shan't be kept very long, or we shall run a risk
of being starved, though we have got some grub in our pockets. Good
night, Jennings, and thank you. You're a good fellow, any way, whatever
the captain may be."
"Good night, Mr Frank; mind you keep close till I come to let you out.
I won't keep you waiting no longer than I can help, you may be sure of
that."
Wilmore followed his friends; and the three boys, creeping cautiously
along in the darkness, gained the lower deck unperceived, and were soon
safely ensconced in "Dionysius." Tired out with their day's work, they
all three fell sound asleep.