"Oh, if I only dared hooray!" I said to myself; and then a flush of
pride rose to my cheeks, for the captain gave me a smart clap on the
shoulder.
"Bravo, Herrick!" he said in quite a whisper. "I thought you were
right, my lad, or I shouldn't have done all this. Mr Reardon and I
will make a fine officer of you before we have done."
"Shall I pass the word down for the men to be on the _qui vive_?" said
the lieutenant.
The captain laughed, and nodded his head in the direction of the
hatches, which were black with peeping heads.
"No need, Mr Reardon; there is not a soul on board who does not know.
It is no time for making fresh arrangements. We'll keep exactly to our
plans. Don't let a man show on deck, for depend upon it they will have
a look-out aloft ready to give warning of danger, and we must not give
them an excuse for signalling to their confederates to sheer off."
"Keep steadily on, then, sir?"
"Yes, steadily and stupidly. Let the men go on as before up aloft, and
let the rest of the men show their white heads and pigtails at the
bulwarks as if they were wondering who the strangers were. Good
pressure of steam below?"
"Yes, sir, almost too much," said the lieutenant, after communication
with the engine-room.
"Not a bit," said the captain, rubbing his hands. "We shall want it
soon."
My heart began to beat as they passed on, and I wondered what would be
the first steps taken. But I did not forget my promise. My duties were
about nil, and as soon as I had seen the men staring over the bulwarks,
and noted that the sham repairs to the rigging were steadily going on, I
ran down the companion-way, and breathlessly told Barkins and Smith.
"Then there are four of them, Smithy," cried Barkins. "Look here, Gnat;
he stuck out that there were only three. But well done, old chap, you
are a good one to come and tell us. Here, don't go yet; I want to--"
I never heard what he wanted to, for there was too much exciting
attraction on the deck, to which, being as it were licensed, I at once
returned.
The captain and Mr Reardon were on the quarter-deck, conscious that
savages as the Chinese or Formosan pirates were, they probably did not
despise the barbarian instruments known as telescopes, and that most
likely every movement on board the _Teaser_ was being watched. Any
suspicious act would be quite sufficient to make them sheer off, and
consequently the strictest orders were given to the men to play their
parts carefully, and make no movement that was not required.
Dressed as I was in flannels, my appearance was thoroughly in keeping
with the assumed peaceful character of the ship, and hence I heard and
saw nearly everything.
Just as I went on the quarter-deck the captain was saying to the first
lieutenant--
"Don't be so excitable, man. When I ask you a question, or give an
order, take it deliberately, and dawdle off to see it done."
"Right through, sir?" said Mr Reardon petulantly.
"No," said the captain quietly. "When I give the order, `Full speed
ahead,' then you can act. Till then you are mate or passenger,
whichever you like, of this dirty-looking trader. Ah, those three low
junks, or whatever they are, can creep through the water pretty
quickly."
"Yes; and the big junk too," said Mr Reardon, using his glass. "It is
astonishing how rapidly those great heavily-sailed craft can go. She's
full of men, sir," he continued; "I can see more and more beginning to
show themselves. Not much appearance of dishipline, though."
"So much the better for us," muttered Captain Thwaites, turning in his
cane arm-chair, and looking in the direction of the islands again, from
which the three smaller vessels were coming on rapidly. "Yes,"--he
said, as if to himself, "a head keeps showing here and there; they are
full of men too."
I was not experienced, of course, that only being my third voyage, but I
knew enough of navigating tactics to grasp the fact that the four
vessels were carefully timing themselves so as to reach us together, and
this evidently was their customary mode of procedure, and no doubt
accounted for ship after ship being taken and plundered. I felt
startled, too, as I realised the strength of the crews, and what a
simultaneous attempt to board might mean. With an ordinary merchantman,
even with a strong crew, undoubtedly death and destruction, while even
with our well-armed men and guns I began to have doubts. A slip in the
manoeuvres, ever so slight a mistake on Captain Thwaites' part, or a
blunder in the carrying out of his orders, might give one vessel the
chance to make fast, and while we were arresting their onslaught there
would be time for the others to get close in and throw their scores of
bloodthirsty savages upon our decks.
Mr Reardon had strolled forward, and returned just as the captain said
to me--
"You may as well fetch me my sword and cap from the cabin, Mr Herrick."
"Yes, sir," I said quickly, and I was off, but he stopped me.
"Not now, boy," he cried impatiently; "when the first gun is fired will
be time enough. Well, Reardon, men all ready?"
"Ready, sir? they want wiring down. I'm only afraid of one thing."
"What is that?"
"That they will jam one another in the hatches in their excitement."
"Give fresh stringent orders, sir," said the captain sternly; "every man
is to go quickly and silently to his post, as if on an ordinary drill.
By George! they are coming on quickly; we shall have it all over by
daylight."
"And they'll plunder the ship by lamplight, eh?" said Mr Reardon drily.
"Of course. I think there is no need to feel any doubt now as to these
being the men we want?"
"I don't know, sir," said the lieutenant quietly; "but there is no doubt
about their meaning to try and take this peaceful merchantman. Look,
they feel sure of us, sir, and are showing themselves. Why, they swarm
with men."
"Poor wretches!" said the captain gravely. "I don't like shedding
blood, but we must do it now, to the last drop."
The enemy were now less than a mile away, and coming on rapidly, the
smaller vessels helping their progress with long, heavy sweeps; and as I
stood behind the captain's chair, and looked round the deck from the
wheel, where one of our sham Chinamen stood, with another seated under
the bulwarks apparently asleep, but ready to spring up and join his
messmate at a word; round by the bulwarks where four or five stood
stupidly looking over the side; and then up aloft to the men making
believe to work very hard at the damaged spar--all looked peaceful
enough to tempt the wretches, without counting the most prominent figure
of all, Ching, as he sat high up, smoking placidly, and looking as calm
and contemplative as a figure of Buddha.
"The men ought to be called up now, and the guns set to work," I said to
myself, as every pulse throbbed with excitement, and in imagination I
saw, from the captain's neglect or dilatoriness, our deck running with
blood.
But I had to master these thoughts.
"They know better than I do when to begin," I said to myself, and, after
a sharp glance at the coming vessels, I began to pity my two messmates
who were cooped up below, and I thought of how excited they must be.
Then I thought of Mr Brooke, and hoped he would not be hurt; and
shuddered a little as I remembered the doctor, who would be all ready
below, waiting to attend upon the first wounded man.
"See that, sir?" said Mr Reardon quickly.
"What?" said Captain Thwaites in the most unmoved way.
"That smoke on board two of them."
"On board all," said the captain. "I noticed it a minute ago. They are
getting the stinkpots ready for us, I suppose."
"Yes, that's it, sir. Do you think it necessary to have the hose ready
in case of fire?"
"No; if any come on board, the firemen can be called up from the
stokehole with their shovels. I think we'll go now upon the bridge.
You can come too, Mr Herrick. I may want you to take an order or two."
And as he walked quietly towards the bridge, where the speaking-tubes
and signals joined with the engine-room were, he was as calm and
deliberate as if there was not the slightest danger menacing the
_Teaser_; while for my part I could not help feeling that the position
there upon the bridge was a highly-exposed one, and that I should have
been much safer in the shelter of the bulwarks, or down below.
All this time we were gently forging ahead, and the junk was quietly
manoeuvring so that we should pass her so close that she could just
avoid our prow, and then close and grapple with us, for they were busy
on her starboard quarter, and through my glass I could make out great
hooks.
"Won't they think we are taking it too coolly, and grow suspicious,
sir?" whispered Mr Reardon excitedly.
"I hope not," said the captain. "Perhaps one might show fight now, but
I am trusting to their believing that we are stupid, for I want to get
them all, Reardon, if I can. Now, silence, if you please."
Mr Reardon drew back a step or two and waited during those terrible
minutes which followed, and I gave quite a start, for the enemy suddenly
threw off all reserve as a yell came from the junk, which was answered
from the other vessels, and, with their decks crowded with
savage-looking desperadoes, they swept down upon us literally from both
sides, bow and stern.
But still the captain did not make a sign; and, in the midst of the
horrible silence on board, I saw the dressed-up men turning their heads
to gaze at us anxiously, as if the suspense was greater than they could
bear, and their eyes implored their commander to give the word before
the wretches began swarming on board.
I glanced at Mr Reardon, whose face was white, and the great drops of
perspiration stood upon his cheeks, while his eyes, which were fixed
upon the captain between us, looked full of agony; for the great junk
with its wild crew was apparently only a hundred yards ahead, and the
others not much farther, coming rapidly on.
"It's all over," I thought, in my horror, "he will be too late;" and
that I was not alone in my thoughts obtained confirmation, for, though
the crew to a man stood fast, I saw Ching suddenly drop from his perch
and look round for a place of retreat.
At the same moment the captain moved his hand; there was a sharp tinging
of the gong in the engine-room, which meant full speed ahead; and, as
the vibration rapidly increased, he then gave a sharp order or two, and
in an instant almost the men came pouring up from the various hatches
upon deck, but so quickly and quietly that the transformation was almost
magical.
I don't think my eyes are peculiarly made, but I saw the various crews
muster round the guns, and the marines range up, and the men with their
rifles at their various posts, with each officer in his place, although
all the time I was standing with my gaze fixed upon the great junk.
I saw, too, my twenty pigtailed men come sliding down the ropes from
above, and snatch up the cutlasses and rifles laid ready beneath a
tarpaulin; but all the time I was seeing, in obedience to orders, two
parties of the crew going forward at the double, and I knew that the
captain was communicating with the two men at the wheel.
Quick as lightning there was another order as we began to leave the
three low vessels behind, and I involuntarily grasped the rail before me
as all the men on board lay down--crews of the guns, marines, and those
who had doubled forward under the command of Mr Brooke.
Hardly was the evolution performed, when there, right before us, were
the lowering mat-sails of the great junk, and then, crash! there was a
wild despairing yell, and we were into her amidships, the ponderous
gunboat literally cutting her down and going right over her; while at a
second command every man sprang up again, and for the next minute or two
bayonet and cutlass were flashing in the evening sunlight as the
wretches who climbed on board were driven back.
While this was going on, the bell in the engine-room rang out again and
again, and we began to move astern to meet the three low junks, which,
undismayed by the fate of their comrade, came at us with their crews
yelling savagely.
Then there was a deep roar as the first gun belched forth its flame and
smoke, with the huge shell hurtling through the air, dipping once in the
calm sea, and crashing through one of the junks, to explode with a
report like the echo of the first, far beyond.
Captain Thwaites turned quietly and looked at me.
"Yes, sir?" I stammered.
"I said when the first gun was fired you could fetch my cap and sword,
Mr Herrick," he said quietly, and I ran down just as the second big gun
bellowed, but I did not see with what result. I heard the sharp, short
order, though, and another gun roared, and another, and another, as the
junks came well into sight; for each gun I heard the crash of the shell
hitting too, and the fierce yells of the men, as I dashed into the
cabin, seized cap and sword, and then ran back to the bridge, eager to
see the fight, and in my excitement forgetting to feel afraid.
But a heavy smoke was gathering over us and the junks,--two were
indistinct, though they were close aboard of us. Then, as the _Teaser_
glided astern, I saw that the third was smoking, while crash, crash, the
others struck our sides, and their crews grappled, hurled their
stinkpots on board, and began to swarm over the bulwarks.
But the guns were being steadily served with terrible effect; the few
poor wretches who reached the deck were bayoneted, and in how long or
how short a time I cannot tell, for everything seemed to be swept away
in the excitement; we steamed away out of the smoke into the ruddy
sunset, and there I saw in one place a mass of tangled bamboo and
matting, with men clustering upon it, and crowding one over the other
like bees in a swarm. There was another mass about a quarter of a mile
away, and I looked in vain for the third junk; but a number of her crew
clinging to bamboos, sweeps, spars, and what looked to be wicker crates,
showed where she had been. The last of the four, with her great
matting-sails hauled up to the fullest extent, was sailing away toward
the nearest island, and on either side they had sweeps over with two or
three men to each, tugging away with all their might to help their
vessel along.
"The brutes!" I thought to myself, as I watched the glint of the ruddy
sun upon their shiny heads and faces, with their pig tails swinging
behind, as they hung back straining at the great oars. For their sole
idea seemed to be escape, and not the slightest effort was made to pick
up any of their comrades struggling in the water.
It was wonderful how quickly they went, and I began to think that the
junk would escape. Three miles would be enough to place her all amongst
the reefs and shoals, where the gunboat dare not follow; and I was
thinking, as we glided rapidly in her wake, that the _Teaser_ would
chase her swiftly for about half the distance, and then lower the boats
to continue the pursuit, but I was wrong; I saw that the captain gave
Mr Reardon some order, then the gong rang in the engine-room, the way
of the _Teaser_ was checked, a turn of the wheel made her describe a
curve, and she slowly came to a standstill broadside on to the flying
junk.
The next minute the crews were piped away to the boats with their
complement of marines to each; and as they were lowered down a steady
fire was maintained with shell upon the junk.
I stood watching the shots, and saw the first of the broadside from one
heavy and three smaller guns strike the water close to the junk's hull,
fly up, dip again, and then burst over the cliffs.
The second went wide to the left, while the third also missed; and I saw
the captain stamp impatiently as the fourth went right over her.
"She'll get away," I thought; and it seemed a pity for this junk to
escape and form a nucleus for another strong pirate gang.
The firing continued, another broadside being directed at the flying
pirates, who seemed to be certain now of escape, for the junk was end-on
to us, and moving rapidly, forming a very difficult object for our
marksmen; the gunboat, of course, rising and falling all the time upon
the heaving sea.
In the intervals between the shots I had caught a glimpse of Barkins and
Smith climbing into two of the boats, but it was only a glimpse; and
then I was watching the effects of the fire again, as the boats pushed
off to go to the help of the floating men.
Shot after shot had been fired most ineffectively, and I heard
expostulations and angry words used to the captains of the guns; while
at every ineffective shell that burst far away a derisive yell rose from
the crowded junk--the shouts increasing each time.
"Another broadside, Reardon," cried the captain; "and then we must run
in as far as we dare. Pick out half-a-dozen of the best men with the
rifle to place on the bows to pick off the steersman."
"Ay, ay, sir," cried Mr Reardon; then directly, "All gone in the boats,
sir."
Just then, as I was thinking that the junk must escape, one of our big
guns was fired with a crash which made the deck vibrate. There was a
tremendous puff of smoke, which was drawn toward us so that I could not
see the effect, but the shell seemed to burst almost directly with a
peculiar dull crash, and another yell arose from the distant vessel.
Only it was not a derisive cry like the last, but a faint startling
chorus of long-continued shrieks, despairing and wild.
"That's got her, sir," cried Mr Reardon; and we waited impatiently for
the smoke to float by. But it still shut out the junk from where we
stood, while it passed away from the men forward at the gun, and they
gave us the first endorsement of Mr Reardon's words by bursting out
into a hearty cheer, which was taken up by the crews of the other guns.
Then we were clear of the smoke, looking landward to see a crowd of men
struggling in the water, swimming about to reach planks and pieces of
the junk, which had been blown almost to pieces by our great shell, and
had sunk at once, while yet quite a mile from the nearest rocks.
"Ha!" ejaculated the captain, "a good evening's work! Now, Reardon,
down with the other two boats, and save every poor wretch you can."
"Only one left, sir," cried Mr Reardon; and in a few minutes, fully
manned, she was about to be lowered down, when I looked quickly at the
captain, and he read my meaning.
"Want to go?" he said, and then nodded sharply.
I dashed down, climbed upon the bulwark, seized the falls just as they
were about to be cast off, and slid down into the stern to take my
place. Then the oars fell with a splash, and away we went over the
ruddy sea to try and save all we could of the wretches upon whom so
terrible a retribution had come.
One of the warrant officers was in command; he gave me a grim nod.
"Want to see the fun?" he said.
"I want to see the men saved," I replied; "I don't know where the fun
comes in."
"You soon will," he said. "Look out for yourself, my lad; and don't be
too eager to help them."
"Why?"
"You'll soon see," he said gruffly. Then turning to the four marines in
the stern-sheets--"fix bayonets, and keep a sharp look-out."
I looked at him wonderingly, for fixed bayonets did not seem very
suitable things for saving drowning men. But I said nothing, only
sheltered my eyes from the level rays of the sun as we rowed swiftly on,
and gazed across the water at the despairing wretches fighting for their
lives upon the blood-red surface of the water.
It was very horrible after a time, for, as I looked with my heart
feeling contracted, I saw a man, who had been swimming hard, suddenly
throw up his hands and sink.
It was too much for me.
"Row, my lads, row," I cried; "we may catch him as he comes up."
"No," said the warrant officer grimly, "we shall never see him again."
"But try, try!" I cried.
"Yes, we'll try our best," said the officer sternly; "but it's their
turn now. Many a poor wretch have they seen drown, I know, and laughed
at when he cried for help."
I knew it was true; but all the same there was only one thought besides
in my breast, and that was to save all the poor wretches who were
clinging to the pieces of wreck.
As we drew nearer, we came upon the first of quite thirty, clinging to a
sweep which was under his left arm; while, to my horror, I had seen
three more swimming without support go down without a cry, and not one
rise again.
"Easy there," said the officer; "ready there, coxswain; can you reach
him with the hook?"
The man who was standing in the bows reached out to hook the pirate, but
just then the end of the floating sweep touched our boat, and turned
right off, so that the coxswain missed his stroke, and the result was
that the pirate glided aft.
The officer by my side leaned over, reached out, and, to my intense
satisfaction, caught the Chinaman by his left sleeve to draw him to the
boat; but in an instant the wretch threw his right arm out of the water,
and I saw the flash of a long knife in his fingers, as, with his teeth
grinning, he struck at my companion with all his might.
I was so taken by surprise that I sat as if paralysed; but I was
conscious of a quick movement from behind, something red passed over me,
and, all instantaneously, there was the flash of another blade, a
horrible thud--the pirate was driven under water; and I wrenched, as it
were, my eyes round from him to look up over my shoulder at the marine,
who with a dexterous twist of his rifle withdrew his bayonet from the
savage's chest.
"Hurt, sir?" he said.
"No thankye, marine. Very quick and well done of you. There, Mr
Herrick; now you see why I told you to look out."
"The brutes!" I cried excitedly; "they're not worth trying to save."
"No," he said; "but we must do it. I suppose they don't believe much in
the mercy they'll get from us; so there's no wonder. Look at that!"
I turned my head in the direction in which he pointed, and saw what he
meant. Five men were clinging to a piece of floating wreck about fifty
yards away, and three more left the plank to which they had been
clinging as we approached, and swam to join them.
I looked at the first group, fully expecting to see them hold out their
hands to help their comrades; but in place thereof, I saw one wretch,
who occupied the best position on the floating mass of wreck, raise a
heavy piece of bamboo with both hands, and bring it down with a crash
upon the head of the first man who swam up.
"Yah, you cowardly beggar!" roared one of the boat's crew. "I've marked
you."
"Nice wild-beasts to save, Mr Herrick," said the warrant officer. "I
feel as if I should like to open fire on them with my revolver."
"It's too horrible," I panted. "Look, look, Mr Grey!"
"I'm looking, my lad," said my companion. "Give way, my boys; let's
stop it somehow."
For there was a desperate fight going on at the piece of wreck; three
men, knife in hand, were trying to get upon the floating wood, and those
upon it stabbing at them to keep them off.
But, in their despair, the swimmers made a dash together, regardless of
the blows, climbed on, and a terrible struggle began.
"Starn all!" roared Mr Grey; and the boat's progress was checked. We
were backed away just in time, for the pirates were all now on one side
of the piece of wreck, thinking of nothing but destroying each other's
lives, and heaped together in what looked like a knot, when the side
they were on slowly sank, the far portion rose up and completely turned
over upon them, forcing them beneath the water, which eddied and boiled
as the struggle still went on below the surface.
"Give way, my lads," said the officer sternly; "let's try and save some
of the others."
"Ay, ay," cried the man who had shouted before. "These here arn't worth
saving."
The boat swept round in a curve, and we pulled off for another group,
kneeling and crouching upon what seemed to be a yard and a mass of
matting-sail.
Mr Grey stood up.
"Now, my lads," he shouted, "surrender."
For answer they bared their knives and defied us to come on, yelling and
striking at us with them.
Mr Grey looked round at me half-laughingly.
"Cheerful sort of prisoners to make. If we go close in, some of us will
get knifed."
"You can't go close," I said.
"If I don't they'll drown," he cried; "and the captain will ask me what
I've been about."
"Hadn't you better let the jollies put 'em out of their misery, Mr
Grey, sir?" cried one of the men. "They arn't fit to live."
"No," cried another fiercely. "They arn't men; they're tigers."
"Silence!" said the officer sternly. "There is a man yonder about to
sink; give way," he cried.
This man had left a barrel, to which he had vainly tried to cling, but
it kept on turning round; and at last, in his despair, he had left it to
try and swim to the nearest rocks.
His strength was failing, though, and he began to paddle like a dog, too
much frightened to try and swim.
A few strokes of the oar took us within reach, and this time the
coxswain succeeded in hooking his loose cotton jacket, and drawing him
to the side.
Hands seized him directly, and he was hauled in to lie down trembling,
and looking wildly from one to the other.
"Come; he's a quiet one," said the coxswain. "Mind, sir!"
"Mind! look out!" roared the boatswain.
But he was too late. One moment the Chinaman crouched, limp and
helpless, in the bottom of the boat forward, with his hands hidden in
his wet sleeves, the next he had made a frog-like leap at the coxswain,
driven a sharp knife in the muscles of his back, and leaped overboard.
Not into safety, though; for one of the men stood ready, and, as the
wretch rose, brought down the blade of his oar with a tremendous chop
across the head, and the pirate went down to rise no more.
I heard the boatswain utter a low fierce growl as he crept forward, and
I followed to try and help, for the injured man had sunk upon his knees,
with the boat-hook across the bows, and began to wipe the perspiration
from his forehead.
"Much hurt, my lad?" cried Mr Grey.
"Tidy, sir, tidy; makes one feel a bit sicky-like. Any one like to have
the next turn with the boat-hook? I'm going to miche a bit.--Do it
bleed?"
All thought of saving the pirates was given up till the wound, which
bled sharply, was carefully bandaged, and the man laid down in the
bottom of the boat. Then the crew looked at their officer.
"Hadn't we better polish 'em off, sir?" growled one of the men.
"The captain's orders were to pick up all the drowning men we could,"
said the boatswain sternly.
"But they won't be picked up, sir."
"Give way."
The men rowed to another floating group of four, and I stood up and
called to them to surrender.
For answer they sprang into the water, and began to swim to some of
their comrades on the next piece of wreck.
"This is a puzzling job, Mr Herrick," said the boatswain. "I'm not a
brute; I'd jump overboard to save any of the wretches, but it would be
like giving my life, or the lives of any of the crew, to set them the
job. Those wretches will begin upon their mates, you'll see."
He was quite right, for the possessors of the next floating piece of
wreck yelled to their comrades to keep off, and, as they still swam on,
a fresh fight began of the most bloodthirsty nature, and one of our men
said drily--
"Take it coolly, sir. If we lay on our oars a bit, there won't be none
to fish up."
The feeling of horror and pity for the drowning men began to wear off,
and I was glad when Mr Grey suddenly ordered the men to row hard, and I
saw him steer shoreward to cut off a little party of four, who, with a
thick bamboo yard between them, were swimming for the rocks.
"They must be saved as prisoners or not at all," he said sternly; "not a
man of them must land."
As soon as this last party saw us coming, we noticed that they drew
their knives to keep us off, but energetic measures were taken this
time. We got between them and the shore; and then a rope was made
ready, one of the men stood up and dexterously threw it right over a
pirate's head, snatched it tightly to him, dragged him from his hold,
and he was at last drawn to the side half-drowned, hauled aboard, and
his hands and feet tied.
This successful plan was followed out with the others, with the result
that we had four prisoners lying safely in the bottom, and then turned
to capture some more in the same way.
But we had been so excited and taken up by this work that we had not
seen what was going on seaward, where a gun was fired for our recall.
"Where's the next of them?" said Mr Grey.
I did not answer, as I stood up looking round to see a few fragments of
wreck floating here and there, but there was not another pirate left to
save.