MATTERS GROW WORSE AND WORSE--THE MUTINY--COMMENCEMENT OF BOAT-BUILDING,
AND THREATENING STORMS.
One afternoon, about three weeks after the _Red Eric_ had been wrecked
on the sandbank, Captain Dunning went out on the point of rocks, and
took up his accustomed position there. Habit had now caused him to go
to the point with as much regularity as a sentinel. But on the present
occasion anxiety was more deeply marked on his countenance than usual,
for dark, threatening clouds were seen accumulating on the horizon, an
unnatural stillness prevailed in the hot atmosphere and on the glassy
sea, and everything gave indication of an approaching storm.
While he sat on a low rock, with his elbows on his knees, and his chin
resting in his hands, he felt a light touch on his shoulder, and looking
round, found Ailie standing by his side. Catching her in his arms, he
pressed her fervently to his heart, and for the first time spoke to her
in discouraging tones.
"My own darling," said he, parting the hair from her forehead, and
gazing at the child with an expression of the deepest sadness, "I fear
we shall _never_ quit this dreary spot."
Ailie looked timidly in her father's face, for his agitated manner, more
than his words, alarmed her.
"Won't we leave it, dear papa," said she, "to go up yonder?" and she
pointed to a gathering mass of clouds overhead, which, although heavy
with dark shadows, had still a few bright, sunny points of resemblance
to the fairy realms in which she delighted to wander in her daydreams.
The captain made no reply; but, shutting his eyes, and drawing Ailie
close to his side, he uttered a long and fervent prayer to God for
deliverance, if He should see fit, or for grace to endure with Christian
resignation and fortitude whatever He pleased to send upon them.
When he concluded, and again looked up, Dr Hopley was standing beside
them, with his head bowed upon his breast.
"I fear, doctor," said the captain, "that I have broken my resolution
not to alarm my dear Ailie by word or look. Yet why should I conceal
from her the danger of our position? Her prayers for help ought to
ascend, as well as ours, to Him who alone can deliver us from evil at
any time, but who makes us to _feel_, as well as _know_, the fact at
such times as these."
"But I am not afraid, papa," said Ailie quickly. "I'm never afraid when
you are by me; and I've known we were in danger all along, for I've
heard everybody talking about it often and often, and I've _always_
prayed for deliverance, and surely it must come; for has not Jesus said
if we ask anything in His name He will give it to us?"
"True, darling; but He means only such things as will do us good."
"Of course, papa, if I asked for a bad thing, I would not expect Him to
give me that."
"Deliverance from death," said the doctor, "is a good thing, yet we
cannot be sure that God will grant our prayer for that."
"There are worse things than death, doctor," replied the captain; "it
may be sometimes better for men to die than to live. It seems to me
that we ought to use the words, `if it please the Lord,' more frequently
than we do in prayer. Deliverance from sin needs no such `if,' but
deliverance from death does."
At this point the conversation was interrupted by Tim Rokens, who came
up to the captain, and said respectfully--
"If ye please, sir, it 'ud be as well if ye wos to speak to the men;
there's somethin' like mutiny a-goin' on, I fear."
"Mutiny! why, what about?"
"It's about the spirits. Some on 'em says as how they wants to enjoy
theirselves here as much as they can, for they won't have much chance o'
doin' so ashore any more. It's my belief that fellow Tarquin's at the
bottom o't."
"There's not much spirits aboard the wreck to fight about," said the
captain, somewhat bitterly, as they all rose, and hurried towards the
hut. "I only brought a supply for medicine; but it must not be touched,
however little there is."
When the captain came up, he found the space in front of their rude
dwelling a scene of contention and angry dispute that bade fair to end
in a fight. Tarquin was standing before the first mate, with his knife
drawn, and using violent language and gesticulations towards him, while
the latter stood by the raft, grasping a handspike, with which he
threatened to knock the steward down if he set foot on it. The men were
grouped round them, some with looks that implied a desire to side with
Tarquin, while others muttered "Shame!"
"Shame!" cried Tarquin, looking fiercely round on his shipmates, "who
cried shame? We're pretty sure all on us to be starved to death on this
reef; and it's my opinion, that since we haven't got to live long, we
should try to enjoy ourselves as much as we can. There's not much
spirits aboard, more's the pity; but what there is I shall have. So
again I say, who cried `Shame?'"
"I did," said Glynn Proctor, stepping quickly forward; "and I invite all
who think with me to back me up."
"Here ye are, me boy," said Phil Briant, starting forward, and baring
his brawny arms, as was his invariable custom in such circumstances.
"It's meself as'll stick by ye, lad, av the whole crew should go with
that half-caste crokidile."
Gurney and Dick Barnes immediately sided with Glynn also, but Jim
Scroggles and Nikel Sling, and, to the surprise of every one, Markham,
the second mate, sided with the steward. As the opposing parties
glanced at each other, Glynn observed that, although his side was
superior in numbers, some of the largest and most powerful men of the
crew were among his opponents, and he felt that a conflict between such
men must inevitably be serious. Matters had almost come to a crisis
when Dr Hopley and the captain approached the scene of action. The
latter saw at a glance the state of affairs, and stepping up to the
steward, ordered him at once into the hut.
Tarquin seemed to waver for a moment under the stern gaze of his
commander; but he suddenly swore a terrible oath, and said that he would
not obey.
"You're no longer in command of us," he said gruffly, "now that you have
lost your ship. Every man may do what he pleases."
"May he?" replied the captain; "then it pleases me to do that!" and,
launching out his clenched right hand with all his might, he hit the
steward therewith right between the eyes.
Tarquin went down as if he had been shot, and lay stunned and at full
length upon the sand.
"Now, my lads," cried the captain, turning towards the men, "what he
said just now is so far right. Having lost my ship, I am no longer
entitled to command you; but my command does not cease unless a majority
of you choose that it should. Tarquin has taken upon himself to decide
the question, without asking your opinion, which amounts to mutiny, and
mutiny, under the circumstances in which we are placed, requires to be
promptly dealt with. I feel it right to say this, because I am a man of
peace, as you well know, and do not approve of a too ready appeal to the
fists for the settlement of a dispute."
"Ah, then, more's the pity!" interrupted Briant, "for ye use them
oncommon well."
A suppressed laugh followed this remark.
"Silence, men, this is no time for jesting. One of our shipmates has,
not long since, been taken suddenly from us; it may be that we shall all
of us be called into the presence of our Maker before many days pass
over us. We have much to do that will require to be done promptly and
well, if we would hope to be delivered at all, and the question must be
decided _now_ whether I am to command you, or every one is to do what he
pleases."
"I votes for Cap'en Dunning," exclaimed Gurney.
"So does I," cried Jim Scroggles; who, being somewhat weather-cockish in
his nature, turned always with wonderful facility to the winning side.
"Three cheers for the cap'en," cried Dick Barnes, suiting the action to
the word.
Almost every voice joined in the vociferous cheer with which this
proposal was received.
"An' wan more for Miss Ailie," shouted Phil Briant.
Even Jacko lent his voice to the tremendous cheer that followed, for
Briant in his energy chanced to tread on that creature's unfortunate
tail, which always seemed to be in his own way as well as in that of
every one else, and the shriek that he uttered rang high above the
laughter into which the cheer degenerated, as some one cried, "Ah, Pat,
trust you, my boy, for rememberin' the ladies!"
Order having been thus happily restored, and Captain Dunning having
announced that the late attempt at mutiny should thenceforth be buried
in total oblivion, a council was called, in order to consider seriously
their present circumstances, and to devise, if possible, some means of
escape.
"My lads," said the captain, when they were all assembled, "I've been
ponderin' over matters ever since we were cast away on this bank, an'
I've at last come to the conclusion that our only chance of gettin' away
is to build a small boat and fit her out for a long voyage. I need not
tell you that this chance is a poor one--well-nigh a forlorn hope. Had
it been better I would have spoken before now, and began the work
sooner; but I have lived from day to day in the hope of a ship heaving
in sight. This is a vain hope. We are far out of the usual track of
all ships here. None come this way, except such as may chance to be
blown out of their course, as we were; and even if one did come within
sight, it's ten chances to one that we should fail to attract attention
on such a low bank as this.
"I've had several reliable observations of late, and I find that we are
upwards of two thousand miles from the nearest known land, which is the
Cape of Good Hope. I propose, therefore, that we should strip off as
much of the planking of the wreck as will suit our purpose, get the
carpenter's chest landed, and commence work at once. Now, what say you?
If anyone has a better plan to suggest, I'll be only to glad to adopt
it, for such a voyage in so slim a craft as we can build here will be
one necessarily replete with danger."
"I'll tell ye wot it is, cap'en," said Tim Rokens, rising up, taking off
his cap, and clearing his throat, as if he were about to make a studied
oration. "We've not none on us got no suggestions to make wotsomdiver.
You've only got to give the word and we'll go to work; an' the sooner
you does so the better, for it's my b'lief we'll have a gale afore long
that'll pretty well stop work altogether as long as it lasts."
The indications in the sky gave such ample testimony to the justness of
Rokens' observations that no more time was wasted in discussion. Dick
Barnes, who acted the part of ship's carpenter when not otherwise
engaged, went out to the wreck on the raft, with a party of men under
command of Mr Millons, to fetch planking and the necessary material for
the construction of a boat, while the remainder of the crew, under the
captain's superintendence, prepared a place near Fairyland for laying
the keel.
This spot was selected partly on account of the convenient formation of
the shore for the launching of the boat when finished, and partly
because that would be the lee side of the rocky point when the coming
storm should burst. For the latter reason the hut was removed to
Fairyland, and poor Ailie had the mortification in a few hours of seeing
her little paradise converted into an unsightly wreck of confusion.
Alas! how often this is the case in human affairs of greater moment;
showing the folly of setting our hearts on the things of earth. It
seems at first sight a hard passage, that, in the Word of God. "What?"
the enthusiastic but thoughtless are ready to exclaim, "not love the
world! the bright, beautiful world that was made by God to be enjoyed?
Not love our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, wives? not give our
warmest affections to all these?" Truly, ye hasty ones, if you would
but earnestly consider it, you would find that God not only permits, but
requires us to love all that is good and beautiful here, as much as we
will, as much as we can; but we ought to love Himself _more_. If this
be our happy condition, then our hearts are not "set on the world"; on
the contrary, they are set free to love the world and all that is
lovable in it--of which there is very, very much--more, probably than
the best of men suppose. Else, wherefore does the Father love it and
care for it so tenderly?
But Ailie had not set her heart on her possessions on the sandbank. She
felt deep regret for a time, it is true, and in feeling thus she
indulged a right and natural impulse, but that impulse did not lead to
the sin of murmuring. Her sorrow soon passed away, and she found
herself as cheerful and happy afterwards in preparing for her long, long
voyage as ever she had been in watching the gambols of her fish, or in
admiring the lovely hues of the weeds and coral rocks in the limpid
pools of Fairyland.
It was a fortunate circumstance that Captain Dunning set about the
preparations for building the boat that afternoon, for the storm burst
upon them sooner than had been expected, and long before all the
requisite stores and materials had been rafted from the wreck.
The most important things, however, had been procured--such as the
carpenter's chest, a large quantity of planking, oakum, and cordage, and
several pieces of sail cloth, with the requisite thread and needles for
making boat sails. Still, much was wanting when the increasing violence
of the wind compelled them to leave off work.
Some of the men were now ordered to set about securing such materials as
had been collected, while others busied themselves in fixing ropes to
the hut and rolling huge masses of coral rock against its fragile walls
to steady it.
"Av ye plaze, sir," said Briant to the Captain, wiping his forehead as
he approached with a lump of tarry canvas which he used in default of a
better pocket-handkerchief, "av ye plaze, sir, wot'll I do now?"
"Do something useful, lad, whatever you do," said the captain, looking
up from the hole which he was busily engaged in digging for the
reception of a post to steady the hut. "There's lots of work; you can
please yourself as to choice."
"Then I comed fur to suggist that the purvisions and things a-top o' the
sandbank isn't quite so safe as they might be."
"True, Briant; I was just thinking of that as you came up. Go and see
you make a tight job of it. Get Rokens to help you."
Briant hurried off, and calling his friend, walked with him to the top
of the sandbank, leaning heavily against the gale, and staggering as
they went. The blast now whistled so that they could scarcely hear each
other talk.
"We'll be blowed right into the sea," shouted Tim, as the two reached a
pile of casks and cases.
"Sure, that's me own belaif entirely," roared his companion.
"What d'ye say to dig a hole and stick the things in it?" yelled Rokens.
"We're not fit," screamed Phil.
"Let's try," shrieked the other.
To this Briant replied by falling on his knees on the lee side of the
goods, and digging with his hands in the sand most furiously. Tim
Rokens followed his example, and the two worked like a couple of
sea-moles (if such creatures exist) until a hole capable of holding
several casks was formed. Into this they stowed all the biscuit casks
and a few other articles, and covered them up with sand. The remainder
they covered with tarpaulin, and threw sand and stones above it until
the heap was almost buried out of sight. This accomplished, they
staggered back to the hut as fast as they could.
Here they found everything snugly secured, and as the rocks effectually
sheltered the spot from the gale, with the exception of an occasional
eddying blast that drove the sand in their faces, they felt
comparatively comfortable. Lighting their pipes, they sat down among
their comrades to await the termination of the storm.