ESCAPED OVERBOARD.
“How in creation came you on board of this vessel, Wade Brooks?”
repeated Matt, when he had found a tongue.
“How in creation came you on board of this vessel, Matt Swikes?”
demanded Wade. “I thought you meant to stop at that big hotel a while.
Did you spend all your money, and then have to go to sea?”
“No; we didn’t spend all our money; but we thought we would take a
little cruise at sea,” replied Matt. “But when we heard the ship was
going to the coast of Africa, where they have the fever very bad, we
gave it up; and now we are going back to New York. Have you gone to
work on this vessel?”
“No, I have not: I wish I could,” replied Wade.
“The captain says the two young gentlemen are to have their breakfast
in the cabin,” interposed Pollish at this moment. “Won’t you come with
me?”
Lon thought it was quite proper that they should be invited to the
cabin; and he was ready to follow the steward without wasting a moment
upon such a fellow as Wade Brooks. Pollish led them through the
captain’s room into the cabin, where Capt. Bendig received them very
politely. He gave them places at the table, and told the steward to
bring the best there was on board for their meal.
“The steward tells me you know that boy we have on board,” said the
captain, when the two guests were seated at the table.
“Yes, sir: we knew him in Midhampton, where we came from; but we don’t
know any good of him. He ran away from the folks he lived with, and was
charged with stealing two hundred dollars from them. Isn’t that so,
Matt?” replied Lon, who was certainly a swift witness.
“That’s just the idea I formed of him,” added Capt. Bendig. “But I took
him for a wharf-rat. He stowed himself away on board of the yacht, and
tried to steal a passage; and he did steal my breakfast and part of my
dinner.”
“I think they would like to see him in Midhampton,” said Lon.
Pollish was attending to the table, and heard all that was said by the
captain and the two runaways. As soon as he had given the boys their
breakfast, he told Wade what he had heard,--that they said he was a
runaway, and that he was charged with stealing two hundred dollars.
“The coat fits them, and it don’t fit me,” replied Wade indignantly.
“It was Matt Swikes that stole the money, and both of them ran away
from home. I have no home to run away from.”
“But the captain is down upon you, and he likes to believe what those
two fellows say. He always believes what suits him best; and, as
soon as you have finished your breakfast, I think you had better put
yourself out of sight,” said Pollish. “And don’t let any of the hands
see you do it.”
“I will take care,” replied Ward.
He had about finished the meal, when he received this advice from the
steward. He went to the forecastle; and, having assured himself that
no one was in it, he stowed himself away under the berth, in the place
which the steward had indicated for him. He arranged the old clothes
so as to conceal him from any one who came into the forecastle; but he
had not much faith in his fortress if a thorough search should be made
for him. He lay down, and began to think of the events of the day. The
runaways seemed to be in high favor with the captain: they had his ear.
They had already told bad stories about him, which were all lies; but
he did not care for this if he could only get out of the yacht. He had
an immense sum of money in his pocket; and this time he would take care
not to let any one steal it from him.
As soon as Capt. Bendig had finished his breakfast, he told Pollish
to call Wade Brooks: he wanted to see him. The steward did call him,
but he did not answer. He went into every part of the yacht; but Wade
did not appear. He reported to the captain that he could not find the
boy. Lon and Matt were with the captain on deck by this time; and they
seemed to be greatly interested in the search.
“Pollish, I believe you are in league with that boy,” said the captain.
“Now I want him, he can’t be found.”
“The last time I saw him he was in the kitchen, eating his breakfast,”
replied Pollish. “Then, when I went to look for him, he was not there.”
“He hasn’t left the vessel; and, if you don’t find him very soon, I
shall see what I can do about it,” added the skipper of the “Moonlight.”
Pollish visited every part of the yacht again; but, of course, with no
better success than before. By this time the breeze had freshened into
a steady wind, and the “Moonlight” was going along at the rate of four
or five knots an hour. He hoped the yacht would reach New York before
the boy was found; for he was afraid he might tell under pressure how
he got into the vessel, and this would cause him to be discharged.
Pollish reported to the captain that he could not find the stowaway.
Capt. Bendig called his mate and several of the hands, and directed
them to search the forecastle while he looked through the cabin. The
mate searched the bunks, and the space under them; and, when he came
to the forward one on the starboard side, of course he pulled out the
fugitive.
By this time the captain had satisfied himself that the boy was not in
the cabin; and he was in his state-room when he was informed by the
mate that Wade had been found.
“I knew the young scamp could not be far off,” said the captain, and he
followed the mate into the forecastle. “So you have come out of your
hole.”
“No, sir; I did not: I was pulled out,” replied Wade.
“You may go on deck,” added the skipper to the mate and the men.
In a moment more Wade was alone with the captain in the forecastle. He
looked ugly; and the poor boy concluded that the time had come for his
flogging. He did not like the idea of being flogged; and he did not
mean to submit if he could possibly escape.
“I have you now where I want you,” said Capt. Bendig.
“Then I suppose you want me in here,” added Wade, for the want of
something better to say.
“Yes, I want you in here. I promised the gentleman who was fool enough
to give you some money, that I would not flog you for stealing my
breakfast and dinner. I am a man of my word, and I’m not going to flog
you for that; but I’m going to flog you for hiding away when I wanted
you,” said Capt. Bendig, making a spring at the boy.
Wade dodged, and attempted to get by the skipper and reach the door of
the forecastle, so that he could escape to the deck. But the tyrant, as
he had proved himself to be, caught him by the leg, and held him fast.
“Now I have you in hand, there is one other thing I have to settle
with you,” said Capt. Bendig, transferring his hold from the leg to the
collar of his prisoner.
Wade struggled with all his might to get away; but the skipper held
him as in a vise. When the victim struggled, the captain tightened his
grasp, and shook his prisoner, till Wade was glad to hold still.
“You have a hundred dollars that belongs to me,” said the captain, when
Wade had been still for a moment.
“It don’t belong to you,” protested Wade; and the fear of losing the
treasure was vastly more terrible than the fear of getting the flogging.
“Do you think I am going to see a little scalawag like you steal into
this vessel, and get a hundred dollars for it?” demanded the skipper
savagely. “That would be giving you a reward for your rascality.”
“The gentleman gave me the money because he wanted me to keep still,”
sobbed Wade, exhausted by his violent exertions.
“I don’t care what he gave it to you for: that job was mine; and all
the pay for it comes to me.”
“I told him I would keep still if I was allowed to keep the money; and
I won’t without,” said Wade spunkily.
“I haven’t any time to talk about it: I have said what I mean; and now
will you give me the money, or shall I take it from you?” demanded the
skipper savagely.
“I won’t give it to you; and it is stealing for you to take it from
me,” protested Wade with all the strength of his lungs.
The captain did not wait for any thing more: he threw his prisoner on
the floor, and, after a short search through his pockets, found the old
wallet in which Wade had put the money. He took it from him; and, while
his victim was getting up from the floor, he put it in his pocket. At
this moment the mate came to the door. As he opened it, Wade made a
dive through it.
“Stop him!” shouted the captain.
But it was too late: Wade had gained the deck.
“What did you open that door for?” said the skipper angrily.
“I wanted to report to you that that revenue-steamer is bearing down
upon us, and, for aught I know, means to board us,” replied the mate.
“Why didn’t you report it before?”
“I came down here; but you seemed to be busy, and I did not like to
disturb you,” answered the mate with a smile.
“Is she headed for the yacht?” inquired the captain; and he appeared to
be anxious on the subject.
“She seems to be doing so.”
“Do you suppose her people saw the ‘Housatonic’s’ boat carry off those
passengers?”
“If they used their glasses, they couldn’t well help seeing it,”
replied the mate, who did not seem to be at all troubled about the
matter. “What odds does it make if they did? I suppose the transaction
was all right wasn’t it?”
“Of course it was. But where is that boy?”
“He went on deck.”
Capt. Bendig, afraid that Wade would tell the other two stowaways what
he had seen, hastened on deck to secure him again. He saw the cutter
was headed directly towards the “Moonlight.” Wade stood in the waist,
with both eyes open. The skipper was intent on catching him again,
intending to lock him into his state-room until the cutter had passed,
and then give him the promised flogging. Wade retreated towards the
stern, and then around the mast to the forecastle.
“Stop, you little villain!” said he. “You will get an extra flogging
for this.”
When Wade saw he could not escape, he leaped upon the rail, and then
jumped overboard.