THE MUTINY QUELLED.
Lieutenant Tempest saw the paper as soon as he entered the cabin, and
was very much inclined to resent the placing of dirty paper on his
dinner plate.
But when he saw Bob's signature, he became amused.
He was about to throw the document away, when Bob shouted from the
outside:
"Read it, sir."
"Ah! You there, Bob? What is it? Want more grog, or extra biscuits, or
is it something you want for Mr. Scarron?"
Bob happened to see Luiga nearby, and knew that the West Indian was
listening.
"Yes, cap'n," he answered, "the doctor sent me for some, and I didn't
see you, so I wrote it down."
Tempest glanced over the paper, and saw at once that Bob was acting
very diplomatically.
"Will you ask the doctor to see me about it? He had better come at
once."
Luiga heard Tempest's remark and felt easier.
"Thought he had split. If he had I would have slit his throat for him
before he was an hour older."
Tempest was alone.
"What does he mean?" he asked himself.
"'He made me swear.' Who did? 'Make my hair stand on end,' 'put
prisoners in irons before night got dark'--really, Bob, your
composition is an enigma. 'Bullets may be under the tin.' It is a
conundrum hard to read."
The doctor entered at that moment.
Bob had sense enough to see that he was suspected by Luiga, and so he
must remove that suspicion and trust to Tempest to find an excuse for
the English doctor.
Luiga was close to the cabin when the doctor entered, and all his
suspicions vanished when he heard Tempest say:
"Ah, doctor! Bob has been trying to make me understand what you want
for poor Scarron. A doctor's prescription is usually hard to read, but
Bob's is worse."
It so happened that the doctor had really commissioned Bob to ask
Tempest for an extra allowance of grog for Scarron.
The English doctor was one of the garrulous kind, who gloried in the
sound of his own voice.
"Smart boy, that Bob. I should say he is a real good fellow."
"Yes, as true as steel, though no great friend of your nation, doctor."
Luiga stayed no longer.
He was satisfied that Bob had not betrayed him.
The doctor stayed and chatted for half an hour, and Tempest enjoyed the
change, for it was a pleasure to have an educated man as companion out
on the open seas.
But all the time that the disciple of Esculapius was talking the
lieutenant was puzzling his brain to know what Bob really meant.
"Place all the prisoners in irons. That seems harsh. Shall I do it, or
shall I question Bob first?"
The latter course was resolved upon, and Bob was duly cross-examined;
but he was true to his oath, although he evaded the strict spirit by
saying:
"If I hadn't sworn not to tell you, cap'n, I should say that there
would be mutiny the first dark night; but I did swear not to tell you,
so cannot say it."
No diplomat ever got around a difficult problem easier than did Bob,
and Tempest saw that the powder-monkey had some secret information
which he could not make public.
The day passed on as most days do when the sea is calm and the sky
unruffled by even a cloud, and Tempest hesitated on his course of
action.
If the _Lively Bee_ had been nearer he would have sought advice from
his captain, but that meant delay, and action must be taken at once.
It was better to be on the safe side, and he had resolved to imprison
the men, when a sail was sighted.
That gave him the excuse he wanted.
The prisoners were ordered on deck, and, as they stood in line, Tempest
saw an ominous scowl on more than one face.
"Men, I have sent for you to thank you for your behavior during the
time you have been prisoners of war," he began, and the men wondered
at such a novel introduction. "I have always believed in human nature,
and still do so, but there are times when prudence demands certain
precautions to be taken. A sail appears on the horizon, and we may have
to fight; therefore, it becomes necessary to order you below until all
danger has passed."
Luiga scowled and looked threateningly at Tempest.
"You'll place us in irons next, eh?"
"If it is necessary, yes," answered Tempest without a quiver in his
voice.
"Then you'll get no chance with me. I'm a free man, and so are we
all--eh, men?"
"Ay, ay, Luiga!"
"Then I say I'll be your cap'n, and there ain't men enough on this ship
to say me nay. Will you stand by me?"
"Ay, ay, Luiga, we will."
"Seize him," cried Luiga, pointing to Tempest, who had stood calmly and
stoically during the mutinous language.
But as soon as Luiga gave the order, he quietly raised his pistol and
shot the West Indian dead.
Drawing his sword, he challenged the mutineers to come on and he would
meet them single handed.
"No, no, we were wrong. We ain't murderers nor mutineers, we're
fighters," said one, and his speech was echoed by the others.
"Tell me Luiga's plot and I will believe your honesty."
The spokesman told of the intended mutiny, and, to Tempest's surprise,
told him that Luiga was always hinting that the boxes of tin contained
bullets as well as that valuable commodity.
Although Tempest appeared to trust the men, he kept them under close
surveillance.
Curiosity led him to have one of the boxes of tin opened, and, to
his great surprise and joy, he found that under the sheets of tin
there were hundreds of sovereigns, doubtless intended for the British
paymaster-general.
Such a discovery was too important to be concealed from the _Lively
Bee_, and early the next morning Captain Vernon was signaled, and put
off in a boat for the _Regina_.
Tempest told Vernon of his suspicion, and a general overhauling of
the cargo resulted in the finding of over a hundred thousand pounds
sterling.
The cargo was consigned to Thomas Arbuthnot, and Vernon remembered that
the paymaster of the English army bore that name.
It was the richest prize taken during the war, and Vernon declared that
if he was allowed to keep the prize he would quit privateering, and
settle down on shore.
All speed was made to land, and Vernon reported his capture to the
government.
He was allowed to keep his prize, and so all the crew of the _Lively
Bee_ shared in the prize money, the amount of which almost took away
their breath.