STRANGE TIDINGS--PIRATES ON BOARD--A REVEL--A NARROW ESCAPE--DEATH OF
JENNINGS.
The boys were awakened next morning by the pitching and tossing of the
ship. A storm had come on during the night, which increased in violence
as the morning advanced. It was well for the _Hooghly_ that the fresh
hands had been taken on board, or she would have become wholly
unmanageable. Frank and his friends, in their place of retreat, could
hear the shouts and cries on deck, the rolling of the barrels which had
broken loose from their fastenings, and the washing of the heavy seas
which poured over the gunwales. They made their breakfasts on some of
the fruit and sausages with which they had filled their pockets on the
previous evening, and waited anxiously for old Jennings' arrival. It
was late in the afternoon before he came, and when he did appear, he
would not hear of their venturing to show themselves for the present.
"The cap'en wasn't altogether in a pleasant state of mind yesterday," he
remarked, "but he's in a wuss to-day. He's found out that the most part
of his crew ain't worth a tobacco stopper. I must say the Yankee made a
good pick of it. He got away pretty nigh every smart hand we had
aboard. These new chaps is the best we has now."
"New chaps?" asked Frank. "Has my uncle got any fresh hands?"
"Picked up nineteen new 'uns at Port Prayo," replied Jennings. "Stout
nimble fellows they are, no doubt. But I don't greatly conceit them
neither. They keep together, and hardly speak to any one aboard, except
Andy Duncan and Joel White and Bob O'Hara and that lot. They're no good
either, to my mind. Well, young gents, you must stay here till the gale
breaks, as I guess it will to-morrow, or the next day, and then the
skipper will be in good-humour again. I've brought you a heap of
biscuits and some fruit and a keg of water. But I mustn't be coming
down here often, or we shall be found out I've tied the dog up in the
fo'castle, or he'd be sniffing about after Mr Frank here, and most
likely find him out."
"Very well, Tom," said Frank, "then we'll wait here. But it's terribly
dull work. Nothing to do but to sleep and smoke."
"I think the skipper would let us off, if he knew what we'd gone through
during the last twenty-four hours," observed Nick, yawning. "Well, I
suppose one must grin and bear it." So saying, he rolled himself into
his corner and endeavoured to lose the recollection of his
_desagrements_ in sleep.
The evening wore on heavily enough. It was past midnight before the
gale began to lull, and the lads at length fell sound asleep. But they
were roused soon afterwards by a loud commotion on deck. Voices were
heard shouting and cursing; one or two shots were fired, and Frank
fancied he could once or twice distinguish the clash of cutlasses. But
presently the tumult died away, and the ship apparently resumed her
customary discipline. Daylight came at last, glimmering faintly through
the crevices of their prison, and the boys lay every minute expecting
the advent of the old quartermaster. But the morning passed, and the
afternoon began to slip away, and still there was no sign of Jennings's
approach. The matter was more than once debated whether they should
issue from their hiding-place, which was now becoming intolerable to
them, altogether disregarding his advice; or at any rate send out one of
the party to reconnoitre. But Ernest urged strongly the wisdom of
keeping to their original resolution, and Frank after awhile sided with
him. It was agreed, however, that if Jennings did not appear on the
following morning, Warley should betake himself to the doctor's cabin
and ask his advice.
Accordingly they once more lay down to sleep, and were again awoke in
the middle of the night, but this time by a voice calling to them in a
subdued tone through the barrels.
Wilmore, who was the lightest sleeper, started up. "Who is that?" he
asked.
"It is I--Tom Jennings," was the answer. "Don't speak again, but push
out the barrel that stops the way into your crib there. I'll manage to
crawl in, I dare say, though I am a bit lame."
Wilmore saw there was something wrong. He complied literally with Tom's
request, and pushed the keg out in silence. Presently he heard the old
man making his way, stopping every now and then as if in pain. At last
there came the whisper again: "Pull the barrel back into its place, I've
got a lantern under my coat which I'll bring out when you've made all
fast."
Frank again obeyed his directions, having first enjoined silence on his
two companions, who were by this time wide awake. Then Jennings drew
out his lantern, and lighted it by the help of a flint and steel. As
the light fell on his face and figure, the boys could hardly suppress a
cry of alarm. His cheeks were as white as ashes, and in several places
streaked with clotted blood. His leg too was rudely bandaged from the
knee to the ankle, and it was only by a painful effort that he could
draw it after him.
"What's the matter, Tom?" exclaimed Frank. "How have you hurt your leg
in that manner?"
"Hush! Mr Frank. We mustn't speak above a whisper. There's pirates
on board. They've got possession of the ship."
"Pirates!" repeated Wilmore. "What, have we been attacked, and my
uncle--"
"He's safe, Mr Frank--at least I hope so. Look here. You remember
them foreign chaps as he brought aboard at Porto Prayo? It was all a
lie they told the cap'en, about their ship having been lost. They were
part of a crew of pirates--that's my belief, any way--as had heard
Captain Wilmore was short-handed, and wanted to get possession of his
ship. They was no sooner aboard than they made friends with some of the
worst of our hands--Andy and White and O'Hara and the rest on 'em--and I
make no doubt persuaded them to join 'em. About ten o'clock last night,
when the men were nearly all in their berths, worn out with their work
during the gale, these foreigners crept up on deck, cut down and pitched
overboard half a dozen of our chaps as were on deck, and then clapped
down the hatches."
"That was what we heard, then," remarked Gilbert. "Were you on deck,
Tom?"
"Yes, sir, I was, and got these two cuts over the head and leg. By good
luck I fell close to the companion-ladder and was able at once to crawl
to my berth, or I should have been pitched overboard. Well, as soon as
it was daylight, the captain and the officers laid their heads together
to contrive some means of regaining the ship; but, before they could
settle anything, a vessel came in sight, and the fellows on deck hove to
and let her come up--"
"The pirate ship, I suppose, hey?" cried Frank.
"Yes, sir, no other. She'd followed us beyond a doubt from Porto Prayo,
and would have come up before, if it hadn't been for the gale. There
wasn't nothing to be done, of course. The pirates threatened the
captain, if he didn't surrender at once, that they'd fire down the
hatchways and afterwards pitch every mother's son overboard. And they'd
have done it too."
"Not a doubt," assented Frank. "So my uncle surrendered?"
"Yes, sir, he did, but he didn't like it. I must say, from what I've
heard of these fellows, I judged that they'd have thrown us all in to
the sea without mercy. But it seems White and O'Hara and the rest
wouldn't allow that, and insisted on it that every one, who chose it,
should be allowed to leave the ship. I did 'em injustice, I must say."
"What did they go in?" inquired Wilmore, a good deal surprised.
"In the two biggest of the ship's boats, sir. You see we've been driven
a long way south by that gale, and are not more than a few hundred miles
from Ascension. They'll make for that, and with this wind they've a
good chance of getting there in three or four days."
"Are all the officers and passengers gone?" asked Warley.
"Well, no, sir. Mr Lavie ain't gone. The men stopped him as he was
stepping into the boat, and declared he shouldn't leave the ship. But
all the rest is gone--no one's left except those who've joined the
mutineers, unless it's poor old Lion, who's still tied up in the
fo'castle."
"Why, _you_ haven't joined them, Jennings, to be sure?"
"I! no, sir; but with my leg I couldn't have gone aboard the boats; and
to be sure, I hadn't the chance, for I fainted dead off as soon as I'd
reached my berth, and didn't come to till after they was gone. And
there's my nevvy too--he wouldn't go, but chose to stay behind and nurse
me. I hadn't the heart to scold the lad for it."
"Scold him! I should think not," observed Warley.
"Well, sir, it may get him into trouble if he's caught aboard this ship,
and I expect he'll get into troubles with these pirates too. But
there's no use fretting about what can't be helped. I'm thinking about
you young gents. You see if I'd been in my right senses when they went
away, I should have told the cap'en about you, and he'd have taken you
away with him. But I wasn't sensible like, and no one else then knew as
you was aboard."
"No one knew it _then_?" repeated Warley. "No one knows it now, I
suppose."
"Yes, sir, Mr Lavie knows it, and Joe too; I told them an hour ago, and
we had a long talk about it. The doctor's resolved he won't stay in the
ship, and I suppose you don't want to stay neither?"
"We stay, Tom!" replied Frank. "No, I should think not indeed, if we
can help it. But how are we to get away?"
"This way, sir. These pirates have been choosing their officers to-day,
and they've made O'Hara captain. They say he's the only man who's up to
navigating the ship. Anyhow, they've made him captain, and one of the
foreign chaps, first mate. They're to have a great supper to-morrow
night in honour of 'em, and most of the crew--pretty nigh all I should
say--will be drunk. Well, then, we claps a lot of things, that Mr
Lavie has got together, aboard one of the boats--there are enough of us
to lower her easy enough--and long before daylight you'll be out of
sight."
"_You'll_ be out of sight. Don't you mean to go yourself, Jennings?"
asked Frank.
"My leg won't let me, Mr Frank. I couldn't get down the ship's side;
and besides, I ain't in no danger. My old messmates won't let me be
hurt, nor Joe Cobbes neither. I'd best stay here till my leg's right.
Mr Lavie says it wants nothing but rest, and a little washing now and
then. No, sir; Joe and I would rather stay on board here and take the
first opportunity of leaving the ship that offers. Mr Lavie and you
all 'ull bear witness how it happened."
"That we will, Tom," said Warley. "Well, then, if I understand you,
we've nothing to do but to remain quiet until to-morrow night, and you
and Mr Lavie will make all the preparations?"
"Yes, sir, that's right. Stay quietly here till you've notice that
everything's ready."
"But I don't like you having all the risk and trouble, Tom," said
Wilmore.
"You'd do as much for me, sir, and more too, I dare say, if you had the
chance. Besides, I am anxious you should get away safe, because you're
my witnesses that I and Joe had no hand in this. I shall get well all
the sooner, when you're gone."
"All right, Jennings," said Warley. "And now I suppose you want to get
out of this again?"
"Yes, sir; you must help me. Getting out will be worse than getting in,
I am afraid."
The lantern was extinguished, the keg removed, and with much pain and
difficulty the old man was helped out. The next twenty-four hours were
passed in the utmost anxiety by the three lads, who would hardly allow
themselves even to whisper to one another, for fear of being overheard
by the pirates. All the morning they could hear the preparations for
the feast going on. Some casks in the lower deck, which, as they knew,
contained some unusually fine wine, were broken open, and the bottles
carried on deck. Planks also were handed up to make tables and benches.
From the conversation of the men employed in the work, they learned
that the feast was to take place in the forecastle, none of the cabins
being large enough to hold the entire party. Once they caught a mention
of Mr Lavie's name, and learned that he had been all night in
attendance on Amos Wood, the sailor who had been attacked by fever at
Porto Prayo, and that the man had died that morning, and been thrown
overboard. The doctor, it was said, had now turned in for a long sleep.
The boys guessed that his day would be differently employed. About six
o'clock in the evening, everything seemed to be in readiness. The tramp
of feet above was heard as the men took their places at table, and was
followed by the rattling of plates and knives and forks, and the oaths
and noisy laughter of the revellers. These grew more vociferous as the
evening passed on, and after an hour or two the uproar was heightened by
the crash of glass, and the frequent outbreak of quarrels among the
guests, which were with difficulty suppressed by their more sober
comrades. Then benches were overturned, and the noise of bodies falling
on the deck was heard, as man after man became stupidly intoxicated.
The uproar gradually died out, until nothing was audible, but drunken
snores, or the unsteady steps of some few of the sailors, who were
supposed to be keeping watch.
It was about two hours after midnight when the expected summons came.
Frank crept out first, followed by Nick and Ernest. They found Mr
Lavie and Joe Cobbes waiting for them.
"Everything is ready, Ernest," whispered the doctor. "We've put as many
provisions and arms into the jolly-boat as we can safely carry; but you
had better take a brace of pistols apiece. There are some one or two of
the men who are the worse for drink, but still sober enough to know what
they are doing, and we may have a tussle. Put on these caps and
jackets, and come as quick as you can. The jolly-boat is on the
starboard side, near the stern. She's not in the water yet, but
everything is ready for lowering her. Quiet's the word."
The boys obeyed. They crept cautiously on deck, pulling the caps over
their foreheads, and imitating as well as they could the movements of
drunken men. They soon reached the jolly-boat, where old Jennings was
waiting for them. The helm had been lashed, but every ten minutes or so
one of the watch came aft to see that all was right. Jennings had
unfastened the lashings and taken the rudder, telling the first man who
came up that he would see to it for the rest of the watch. The man
willingly enough accepted his services, and this skilful manoeuvre saved
them for the time from further interruption.
"Lower quickly, Mr Lavie," he whispered in the doctor's ear. "Andy
Duncan has had liquor enough to make half a dozen men drunk, but he
knows what he's doing for all that. He's keeping an eye on the ship,
and may be down upon us any minute."
He was obeyed promptly and in silence. The boat was lowered without
attracting notice. Warley was the first to slip down the rope, and was
safely followed by Nick. Frank was just climbing over the bulwark when
a man staggered up, and accused them with a volley of drunken oaths of
intending to desert.
"No, no, Andy," said Jennings quickly, "no one means to desert. There's
a man overboard, and we're lowering a boat to pick him up. Make haste,
my lad," he continued, addressing Wilmore, "or he'll be too far astern
for us to help him."
Frank promptly took the cue, and vanished over the side. For a moment
Duncan was staggered by the old quartermaster's readiness, but the next
he caught a momentary glimpse of Frank's features.
"Hallo, that's young Wilmore, that's the captain's nevvy, as you said
had been left behind," he shouted. "There's some devilry here! Help,
my lads, there!" He drew a pistol as he spoke, and fired at Mr Lavie's
head, who was attempting to seize him.
His nerves were unsteady from drink, and the bullet missed its mark; but
it struck Joe Cobbes on the temple, who fell on the instant stone dead.
Some of the men, startled by the pistol shot, came reeling up from the
forecastle.
The doctor struck Andy a heavy blow with the butt end of his pistol, and
the man dropped insensible on the deck. He then turned to Jennings.
"You must go with us now, Tom," he said, "or they will certainly murder
you. Go, I tell you, or I'll stay behind myself."
The old man made a great effort and rolled himself over the bulwarks,
reaching the boat by the help of the rope, and the hands of the boys
below, though he fainted from pain and exhaustion immediately
afterwards.
Mr Lavie fired at the nearest man, who dropped with a broken leg. The
others hung back alarmed and stupefied. Lavie skimmed down the rope,
and disengaged her before they had recovered their senses. Just at this
moment there was a heavy splash close beside them.
"Hallo!" cried Ernest, "one of the fellows has fallen overboard. We
must take him in. We can't leave him to drown."
"It isn't any of the crew," said Frank. "It's old Lion. I can see his
head above water. He has broken his fastenings and followed us. Haul
him aboard, Nick."
The dog was soon got in, and Lavie and Warley, seizing the oars, rowed
away from the ship. An attempt was made to lower a boat, and one or two
shots were fired. But the crew were in no condition for work of any
kind, and in a few minutes the _Hooghly_ was lost sight of in the
darkness. Lavie and Wilmore, who understood the management of a boat,
hoisted the sail and took the rudder.
Meanwhile, Warley and Gilbert were endeavouring to restore the old
quartermaster from his swoon. They threw water in his face, and poured
some brandy from a flask down his throat, but for a long time without
any result. At last the boat was in proper trim, and Mr Lavie set at
liberty to attend to his patient. Alarmed at the low state of the
pulse, and the failure of the efforts to restore consciousness, he
lighted his lantern, and then discovered that the bottom of the boat was
deluged with blood. The bandages had been loosened in the struggle to
get on board, and the wound had broken out afresh. The surgeon saw that
there was now little hope of saving the old man's life. He succeeded,
however, in stanching the flow of blood, and again bound up the wound,
directing that Jennings should be laid in as comfortable a position as
possible on a heap of jackets in the bow.
This had not been long effected, when morning appeared. Those who have
witnessed daybreak in the tropics, will be aware how strange and
brilliant a contrast it presents to that of northern climates. The day
does not slowly gather in the East, changing by imperceptible degrees
from the depth of gloom to the fulness of light, but springs as it were
with a single effort into brilliant splendour--an image of the great
Creator's power when He created the earth and skies--not toiling through
long ages of successive processes and formations, as some would have us
believe, but starting at one bound from shapeless chaos into life and
harmony.
The doctor cast an anxious look at the horizon, and was relieved to find
that the _Hooghly_ was nowhere visible. "Well out of that," he
muttered. "If we could only bring poor Jennings round, I shouldn't so
much regret what has happened. But I am afraid that can't be." He
again felt the old man's pulse, and found that he was now conscious
again, though very feeble.
"Is that Mr Lavie?" he said, opening his eyes. "I'm glad to see you've
come off safe, sir. I hope the young gentlemen are safe too."
"All three of them, Jennings, thank you," was the answer; "not one of
them has so much as a scratch on him."
"That's hearty, sir. I am afraid poor Joe--it's all over with him,
isn't it?"
"I am afraid so, Tom. But he didn't suffer. The ball struck him right
on the temple, and he was gone in a moment."
"Yes, sir, and he was killed doing his duty. Perhaps if he'd remained
among them villains, he'd have been led astray by them. It's best as it
is, sir. I only hope you may all get safe to land."
"And you too, Tom," added Frank, who with his two companions had joined
them unperceived.
"No, Mr Frank, I shall never see land--never see the sun set again, I
expect. But I don't know that I'm sorry for that I'm an old man, sir,
and my nevvy was the last of my family, and I couldn't have lived very
long any way."
"No," said Mr Lavie, "and you too have met your death in the discharge
of your duty. When my time comes, I hope I may be able to say the
same."
"Ah, doctor, it's little good any on us can do in this world. It's well
that there's some one better able to bear the load of our sins than we
are! But I want to say a word or two, sir, while I can. I advised you,
you'll remember, to run straight for the nearest point of the coast,
which I judge is about eight hundred miles off. But I didn't know then
where them pirates meant to take the _Hooghly_ to. Their officers only
let it out last night over their drink. They were to make the mouth of
the Congo river, where they've one of their settlements, or whatever
they call them. Now, that happens to be just the point you'd be running
for, and they'd be pretty sure to overhaul you before you reached it.
You'd better now try to reach the Cape, sir. It is a long way off--a
good fortnight's sail, I dare say, even with this wind. But there's
food and water enough to last more than that time; and besides, you may
fall in with an Indiaman."
"We'll take your advice, you may be sure, Jennings."
"I'm glad to hear that, sir. It makes my mind more easy. Make for the
coast, Dr Lavie, but don't try for it north of Cape Frio--that's my
advice, sir; and I know these latitudes pretty well by this time."
"We'll take care, Jennings," said Warley. "And now, isn't there
anything we can do for you?"
"You can say a prayer or two with me, Mr Ernest," replied the old man
feebly. "You can't do anything else, that I knows of."
Warley complied, and all kneeling down, he repeated the Lord's Prayer,
and one or two simple petitions for pardon and support, in which old
Jennings feebly joined. Before the sun had risen high in the heavens
his spirit had passed away. His body was then reverently committed to
the deep, and the survivors, in silence and sorrow, sailed away from the
spot.