Escape from the Schooner
Scarcely five minutes had elapsed from the time when Hanns Schlott's
cowardly finger had pressed the trigger and sent the murderous bullet
into the breast of the sleeper. Indeed, to Tyler, as he stood there
upon the stern, pistol in hand, prepared to discharge the contents of
the six-pounder into the midst of the pirates, the sharp report, that
piercing, piteous scream still rang in his ears, while the thud of
John's massive fist and the crash and noise of splintering wood-work
as the rascally Dutchman was knocked to the floor were fresh in his
memory. Then had come the rapid appearance of the boatswain, to be
followed shortly afterwards by the figures of the mutinous crew rushing
up on deck to aid their comrades. And all the while his own weapon had
been snapping, sending a shower of bullets amongst the occupants of the
approaching boat. So much had happened in that short space of time, so
rapid had been the succession of events, that the moments had flown
by. Now, however, it was so different, for, waiting there beside the
gun, with one companion alone to support him, to help him face a horde
of ruffians intent upon their lives, the seconds seemed minutes, the
minutes hours, so desperate was the situation. A shout, a shot in their
direction, or the sudden rush of the pirates would have been a welcome
relief to the tension, but as yet their condition was unchanged.
Thanks to the light shed by the riding-lamp, both he and John Marshall
could see the Malays grouped upon the deck, and could watch as their
leader, Christian van Sonerell, went amongst them, urging them to dash
aft and fall upon the white men. At length, rendered desperate and
utterly reckless by the precarious position in which he found himself,
Tyler levelled his pistol at the leader of the pirates, and taking
deliberate aim, pressed steadily upon the trigger. At once there was
a shout, and the Dutchman swung round with a curse, showing that the
bullet had struck him. Indeed, there was little doubt that he was
heavily hit, for he staggered to one side, and would have fallen had it
not been for the mast against which he placed one hand. But he was a
sturdy fellow, this rascally marauder, and to do him but common justice
he was not the man to cry out till badly hurt, or to give in till
thoroughly beaten. With a gasp, therefore, he recovered his breath, and
at once leapt in front of his following.
"At them!" he shouted. "Get together on this side and rush at them in a
body. Now, I will lead you."
Turning for one moment to his men, he swung round in the direction of
the stern, and as if to show his hatred of the white men, he levelled
a pistol and fired, sending a bullet swishing so close to Tyler's head
that the latter stepped aside involuntarily. Then, tossing the weapon
to the deck, he drew a cutlass from his belt, and, snatching a second
pistol with his left hand, led the pirates in a mad rush towards their
victims.
"Some are hanging back," shouted Tyler, "so I will do as I said. If they
come on too strongly it will be madness to wait, and I shall fire the
gun and then do my best with my pistol."
"And what then?" demanded John Marshall eagerly. "Are we to stay here on
the deck and get sliced to pieces? Why, it's throwing our lives away!"
"What else can we do?" said Tyler eagerly. "We are hemmed in, so far as
I can see, and have no means of flight."
"But what about the dinghy?" asked his companion swiftly. "Ain't she all
right? What's to prevent us jumping overboard and swimming to her? It
wouldn't take no more than a minute, and then before these beggars guess
what we were up to we'd be into her and dodging away in the darkness."
Tyler had barely time to give his assent to the proposal when the
Dutchman and his followers were upon them. Scampering along the deck,
they came in a confused crowd towards the stern, each one grasping a
weapon, and all with their eyes fixed upon the two solitary figures
standing there. That those who came close behind their leader were
filled with courage and with the determination to be victorious there
was little doubt, for the eagerness with which they dashed forward
showed it plainly. Quite a number, however, showed far less resolution,
for the Malay does not love a struggle which is likely to prove
difficult, and dangerous to his life. Some there may be of the pirates
whose days are passed in stern encounters, but the majority spend
their time in looking for helpless individuals upon whom they may fall
suddenly and when least expected. Here, however, the matter was quite
different, for opposed to them, and standing beside a gun which, for
all they knew, might be crammed to the muzzle, were two of the three
Englishmen whom they had hoped to make easy victims. That they would
fight, and fight hard too, was evident, for otherwise they would have
thrown down their weapons at the sight of so many enemies and begged
for their lives. But this they had shown no inclination to do; and that
fact, combined with the resolute air with which they faced the tide of
pirates rushing down upon them, caused a few of the more faint-hearted
to hold back. Instead of racing recklessly forward they halted there
upon the deck, and made up for their lack of courage by shrieking shrill
words of encouragement to their friends.
Crash! The Dutchman, charging madly upon the gun, came in contact with
the rope stretched between the binnacle and the bulwarks, and in a
moment his feet were cut from under him and he pitched forward upon his
face; a huge Malay followed, kriss in hand, and attempted to leap the
unseen obstacle. But he failed to rise sufficiently high, and catching
his toes upon the cable came with a thud upon his leader. The third
was more cautious, for, realizing the cause of their downfall, and
the crafty trap which had been set for the attackers, he stretched his
hand into the darkness and felt for the rope. A second, and his fingers
lit upon it, when his weapon flashed above his head as he prepared to
sever the hempen obstacle. But John Marshall was closely watching the
scene, and realizing that once the barrier had gone their chances would
be lessened, he stretched towards the man and, just as the blow was
falling, fired point-blank at him. Then with a shout he leapt the rope
which stretched from the tiller, and dashing upon the Malay who had
fallen upon his leader, he clutched him by the waist and tossed him over
the side.
[Illustration: THE FIGHT AT THE STERN]
"Well done!" cried Tyler enthusiastically; "but get back at once, for
the others are coming. Quick, or they will be upon you!"
The warning to which he had given vent came by no means too soon, for
hardly was John Marshall in his former position than the leader of the
pirates sprang to his feet and once more rushed upon his opponents.
"English dogs!" he shouted in his fury; "for the fall which you have
given me I will make you suffer well. You shall know what it is to
scream with pain, and then--"
He did not finish the sentence, for, failing to notice the second rope,
stretching between the tiller and the bulwark, he came into violent
contact with it, and, as in the former case, fell sprawling upon the
deck. Another second and the active John had plucked him by the coat,
and with a quick heave had sent him sousing into the sea.
"Stay there, you Dutchman!" he cried with a short laugh, "and let that
teach you to be more cautious when next you attack a Britisher. Ah, no
you don't, my beauty!"
The last part of the sentence was addressed to one of the Malay crew,
who, taking advantage of the fact that John Marshall was fully engaged
in dealing with Christian van Sonerell, had crept on all-fours along the
deck, and, feeling in the darkness for the obstacles which had been the
undoing of his comrades, had safely negotiated them, and at that moment
sprang, kriss in hand, to his feet. Then, as the boatswain turned
towards him and gave vent to the words, the Malay darted forward and
lunged at him with his weapon with such swiftness that it was only by
springing swiftly aside that John escaped the blow. Next second the butt
of his pistol crashed into the native's face, and he, too, tumbled full
length beside the binnacle.
"Didn't I tell yer that yer wouldn't do it," growled John in low tones
of excitement. "Jest look out for that other fellow, sir."
"Right!" exclaimed Tyler in reply, "I'm watching carefully, and that
will stop him."
Hoping to rush in upon the Englishmen while their attention was
distracted, two of the Malay pirates had followed the example set by the
one whom John had stunned with his pistol, but, unfortunately for them,
they had failed to discover the position of the rope with sufficient
celerity, and as they fumbled in the darkness they rose so far from the
crouching position which they had assumed that their heads suddenly
became outlined against the swaying lamp behind. The movement was fatal,
for ere they could avoid the shot Tyler had pointed his weapon in their
direction, and, aided by the feeble rays beyond, had sent a bullet
crashing into the nearest.
"Perhaps that will stop them," he cried in tones which betrayed no
little excitement "These fellows must not be allowed to think that they
are to have it all their own way. Indeed they seem to be inclined to
hang back, and I begin to think that a rush on our part might clear the
decks. They are without a leader, and now is the time to attack them.
Make ready for a charge."
There was little doubt that the proposal which Tyler had so boldly made
might, in the absence of the rascally Dutchman who led the pirates,
have proved more than ordinarily successful, for the losses which they
had already suffered, the unlooked-for manner in which they had been
opposed, and the sudden downfall of Christian van Sonerell, had filled
the Malays with dismay. Some, indeed, had hung back from the very
first, recognizing with the instinct of men possessed of little courage
that danger and death were possibly in store for them. But now, finding
themselves so suddenly arrested in their furious attack, and their
leaders brought crashing to the deck by some unseen means, the remainder
faltered, and, as Tyler's last pistol-shot rang out, to be followed
instantly by the heavy thud of a falling body and by the clatter of a
native kriss upon the deck, they turned about in a body and fled into
the bows, placing as great a distance between themselves and the weapons
of their opponents as was possible. Peering into the darkness, they
looked towards the stern with anxious eyes, and noted with feelings
almost of despair that the two Englishmen whom they had hoped to kill so
easily were stepping across the rope which had formed a barrier between
themselves and their numerous opponents. Indeed, so terror-stricken were
they at the sight that thoughts of flight instantly occurred to them,
and they would have rushed to the boat which had brought them from their
own prahu to the schooner had not a head suddenly appeared over the
bulwark where it was secured. Then an arm came into sight, whilst the
feeble rays of the lamp struggled down upon the dripping figure of a
man clambering over the rail. It was Christian van Sonerell, and at the
sight cries of delight escaped the Malays. They sprang forward to help
him, and then crowded about him while they urged him in pleading tones
to leave the schooner or to lead them once more against the Englishmen.
"They are too strong for us, and we fear their gun," cried one of them.
"By some means of which we are ignorant they have caused you and others
of our comrades to come crashing to the deck, and see how swiftly fate
has followed them. You, too, also came to grief, and when we saw you
tossed overboard as if you were a child we gave you up for lost, and
seeing that the white-faces were about to turn and rush upon us we
contemplated flight. But you are here once more, you have rejoined us by
a miracle, and we again place ourselves in your hands. Shall we gather
in a body and attack them for the second time, or is it your advice that
we retire and leave these men to themselves? for it is clear that much
suffering will come upon us before they are conquered."
"Leave them! Fly like hounds from the schooner and forsake the spoil
which is already in our hands! Surely you are children to make such
a proposal! You laugh at me and would make believe that you are
frightened!" cried Christian van Sonerell, turning suddenly upon
them, and staring each one in the face as if he would read his inmost
thoughts. "Leave the vessel when there is gold below, and when we
have expended so much time and patience to take her! You are joking
and cannot mean what you say. You see for yourselves that the two
English fools have been favoured by luck, and, taking advantage of
my disappearance, have been bold enough even to think of driving you
from the deck. Now look at them. As I came climbing over the rail they
hesitated, and now have retreated to their old position, out of which we
will drive them. Forward, my men! Follow Christian van Sonerell!"
While the rascally Dutchman had been haranguing his men, Tyler and his
companion had paused to discuss the question of attacking the Malays.
A moment before they were intent upon rushing upon them, for that
they were disheartened and demoralized was easily to be seen. But the
aspect of affairs had suddenly changed, and as Christian van Sonerell
had remarked, his unexpected appearance had caused them to alter their
determination.
"They have gathered in a body again," cried Tyler, stretching out an
arm to detain John Marshall, "and see, there is their leader. What bad
luck for us! For I had hoped that he had disappeared over the side for
good. But he is with his men again, and there is no doubt that he will
persuade them to renew the attack. Stand back, John, and employ the
breathing-space allowed us in reloading our weapons. Then we shall be
prepared to fight them again."
"Ay, that we will, sir," was the ready answer; "we'll stand by one
another as firm as two rocks, and when things get too warm for us, why,
we'll be over the stern before they can look round. But I reckon that
this time it will be a case for the gun."
"I think so too," agreed Tyler, looking along the deck and noting with
some concern that the mood of the pirates had already changed. "Their
leader is no doubt telling them of the gold and stores below, and of the
riches they will lose if they retreat. Depend upon it, now that they
know of the presence of the ropes they will hack them asunder and come
at us in a body. Well, if they do I'm fully prepared."
At the words he thrust one hand into his pocket and commenced to rapidly
replace the emptied cartridges in his revolver. Then, flicking a few
more grains of powder into the touch-hole of the gun, lest by chance a
gust of wind or some sudden jolt during the past conflict should have
disturbed the fuse which he had already prepared, he placed the muzzle
of his weapon across the top of the hole, and held it there in readiness
to send a charge of grape bursting through the ranks of the pirates. As
for John Marshall, the success which they had already enjoyed, the fact
that it was he who had tossed the Dutchman overboard, and the example
of coolness which Tyler had set him seemed to have raised his spirits
to the highest. With a short reckless laugh he, too, commenced to cram
cartridges into his weapons, and having completed the operation to his
satisfaction, stood close beside his companion, one hand resting upon
the bulwark and his eyes fixed upon the gathering of natives beyond.
"Helloo!" he suddenly exclaimed, as the rays from the swinging lamp
fell upon a figure ascending from the cabin below, "there's our friend
the interpreter, looking a little upset after the blow I've given him.
Just stand aside, Mr. Richardson, while I take a shot at the fellow.
He's only a murderer, and if we treat him like a dog, neither he nor his
comrades can complain."
Lifting his left arm till the wrist was on a level with his eyes, John
Marshall rested the muzzle of one of his weapons there, and took steady
aim at the bulky figure of Hans Schlott, which could be seen in the
companion-way. Squinting along the barrel, he was in the act of pulling
the trigger when a movement on the part of the criminal disturbed his
aim. Indeed it almost seemed as though Hans Schlott had dreamt of the
danger threatening him, for in spite of the fact that the figures of the
two young Englishmen were with difficulty visible through the darkness
which covered the vessel, he suddenly ducked and disappeared below,
the movement undoubtedly saving his life. A minute later he reappeared
from the direction of the bows, having crawled to the deck by way of
the men's quarters. Then he staggered towards Christian van Sonerell,
as if still suffering from the stunning blow which John Marshall had
delivered, and at once commenced to address him.
"On them!" he shrieked in high-pitched tones, which grated upon Tyler's
ears. "Rush at them, and sweep them out of existence, for if you do not,
I tell you that we are doomed. Our lives will not be safe for another
hour, for one of them, known to us as John Marshall, happened by ill
chance to be in the cabin when I fired. He saw the deed, and I know
well that neither he nor the other young fool will rest until we are
captured. They must not escape! We must kill them, and then send their
bodies to the bottom of the sea with some pounds of shot at their feet.
Quick, I say, or even now, when the odds are against them, they will
give us the slip, and bring a certain end to our fortunes."
He gripped Christian van Sonerell by the arm so fiercely that the latter
almost winced, while he bellowed the words in his ear as if the Dutchman
were a mile away. Then, leaning against the bulwarks to support his
unsteady weight, he shook his fist with frantic energy at the two dim
figures to be seen in the stern, and called loudly to them.
"Listen to me, you fools of Englishmen!" he shouted. "You think that
because you have resisted us so far you will escape us altogether. But
I tell you that that will not be the case. For lives which you have
already taken you shall pay, and I prophesy that within five minutes
both of you will be slain like your comrade below. Him I killed with my
weapon, and see now, this is for you, Tyler Richardson."
Scarcely had the words left his lips than a pistol-shot rang out, and
a bullet struck heavily against the front of the binnacle, shattering
there into a hundred fragments, which splashed the two young fellows
standing beyond. A moment later Tyler's voice broke the silence.
"A bad shot and an unsteady hand," he called out. "Now, hear my words,
Hans Schlott, and you, too, who have aided him in this murderous attack.
I swear that if I escape from this ship with my life I will never rest
till I have hunted you down, for you are murderers. In cold blood you
yourself killed my comrade, and for that act you shall be punished. Now,
take my advice, leave the ship at once, for if you attack I will fire
the gun and blow you to atoms."
That the warning to which he had given vent caused consternation amongst
the Malay pirates was evident, for up to this they had imagined that
owing to the suddenness of their attack, and to its unexpected nature,
the six-pounder in the stern of the schooner was harmless, and that
Tyler's behaviour in arranging a fuse and tossing the covering aside
was merely a blind with which to frighten them. Now, however, his own
words assured them of the fact, for quite a few were able to understand
their meaning, and instantly those who from the first had been inclined
to show the white feather retreated to the bows of the ship, where
they displayed every sign of terror. But it was not likely that two
desperate men such as the Dutchmen were would permit themselves to be
baulked of their prey in such a manner. Indeed, so carefully had their
plans been made, so completely did Hans Schlott imagine that he had
hoodwinked the leader of the expedition and his companions, that he
was convinced that the sudden attack, the rising of the crew, and the
arrival of a boat-load of Malay pirates had been unforeseen, and that
plans for defence were wholly unprepared. Thanks to the secrecy which
Tyler had observed, the crafty interpreter was ignorant of the fact
that a conspiracy was suspected, and at the news that Tyler ventured to
give him he openly scoffed, and at once turned to reassure the native
following.
"He lies!" he shouted. "Until I fired he was walking the deck half in
his sleep, while his two companions lay below resting in their bunks.
But for the weapons which they carry in their belts they have not a
cartridge between them, while I swear to you that the gun is empty.
Come, lead our men forward, Van Sonerell, and clear these Englishmen
from our way."
"Head the charge yourself," was the answer, "and show us that you too
are able to fight. For myself, I will rush at them by your side, and do
my best to help you; but much must not be expected of me, for, see here,
my strength is gone, and I am weak with loss of blood."
He pointed to his left shoulder, where Tyler's bullet had struck, and
showed a large red patch which oozed through the cloth, and, mingled
with the salt water with which his garment was saturated, splashed
heavily to the deck.
"Then join me and do your best," cried Hans Schlott, roused to
desperation by the thought that if Tyler and his companion escaped there
would be no peace for him, at any rate, in the neighbourhood of Borneo.
"Forward, my men, for I swear to you that you have nothing but their
pistols to fear. The gun contains air alone, and can do you no harm," he
continued, turning to the Malay crew. "Come, we will rush at them and
bear them from the deck."
Snatching a cutlass from one of them, he waited to see that they were
ready to aid him, and then came full tilt along the deck, his eyes
fixed upon the six-pounder, which was dimly visible, and the direction
of which he endeavoured to make out. A few seconds and he satisfied
himself that the muzzle was presenting to the right, and instantly he
changed the course of his frantic charge and came rushing along the
opposite side of the deck. As for his companions in villainy, they too
came towards the stern at their fastest pace, and, scattering as much
as the narrow space between the bulwarks would allow, charged upon the
young Englishmen, careless of the presence of the gun which Hans Schlott
had assured them was empty. And all the while Tyler and his solitary
companion stood there awaiting the conflict with steady courage, but
with the certain knowledge that on this occasion they would be beaten
back. Holding their fire until Hans Schlott and his Dutch comrade were
within a few yards, they levelled their weapons steadily, and at a word
from Tyler firmly pressed upon the trigger. Four times in succession did
they discharge a bullet into the ranks of the attackers, and on each
occasion one of the Malay crew threw his arms into the night and came
crashing to the deck. But in spite of their efforts to bring down the
leaders, Hans Schlott and Christian van Sonerell still remained unharmed
upon their feet, seeming by a miracle to escape the bullets intended
for them. Determined to slay the two Englishmen who stood between them
and the rich prize which had aroused their cupidity, and brave in the
knowledge that they had nothing to fear from the gun, they came on
without a pause, and before Tyler could have thought it possible were
at the binnacle. At once down came Hans Schlott's cutlass, severing the
tightly-stretched cable with such swiftness that it flew aside with a
twang, while the weapon itself hit the planks beneath and penetrated
deeply. A wrench, and the blade was withdrawn, while the Dutchman
prepared to sever the second and only remaining barrier which stretched
between him and the Englishmen.
"Stand aside!" shouted Tyler in warning tones, seeing that ere a minute
had passed he and his companion would be overwhelmed "They are massed in
a body, and will be upon us if we do not check them. Now, I will fire
the gun, and dive overboard immediately afterwards."
"Fire!" bellowed John, as if to encourage his young leader. "Blow them
all clear of the decks."
Swiftly placing the muzzle of his revolver against the top of the
touch-hole, Tyler waited an instant to assure himself that his friend
was clear of the discharge, and that the critical time had arrived.
Then, steeling himself to the task, he pulled at the pistol, sending a
livid flash against the breach of the gun. Fizz! The powder spluttered
up in his face, giving out a column of dense smoke, which was swallowed
up instantly by the sulphurous vapour which poured from the muzzle.
There was a loud roar as the six-pounder spoke out into the night, and
then, ere the echo had died down, and long before Hans Schlott and
his accomplice could dart to the rear of the gun and fall upon the
Englishmen, Tyler and John Marshall had sprung clear of the deck and
were swimming through the deep water which surrounded the schooner.
"For the dinghy!" said Tyler as he came to the surface, shaking the salt
water out of his eyes. "But silence, or they will learn where we are and
fire into us."
"They are over the side, and will escape us," bellowed Hanns Schlott,
peering over the bulwark in his endeavour to pierce the darkness. "Stand
still, all of you, and hold your tongues, you men. Now, listen! Where
are they?"
"Swimming for their dinghy or I am mistaken," said Christian van
Sonerell with an oath. "She lies directly aft, where the tide has set
her, and if we fire in that direction we shall blow them out of the
craft. Here, get aboard our own boat some of you lads, and after the
English pigs. Now, Hanns, level your pistols and let go."
The two Dutchmen at once leaned over the rail as far as they were
able, and having judged what must be the position of the dinghy, fired
together in that direction. But only the echoes from the neighbouring
shore answered the reports, while the surface of the water, which had
momentarily been lit by the flash from their weapons, again disappeared
in the gloom of the night.
"Missed!" growled Hanns Schlott. "It seems to me that we might as well
expect to hit a fly under the circumstances. Let us not waste our time,
but send a party after them at once. Fortunately we have a boat at our
service, and can follow them. Take charge of the vessel while I go with
our men and hunt down these Englishmen."
"Do so," answered his comrade faintly, for now that the excitement of
the contest was gone he was beginning to feel the effect of his wound.
"After them, Hanns, my friend, and do not rest till you have killed
them; for remember that one of them witnessed the shot which killed
their leader, while if that were not sufficient to bring us to the
gallows, their evidence as to this act of piracy would certainly lead to
the loss of our lives."
"I will hunt the island. I will follow as though they were rats upon
whose extermination I am determined. Make your mind easy, Christian van
Sonerell; this is a matter which concerns my safety perhaps more than
your own, for I am the man who killed this Mr. Beverley. I will go to
the end of the world to capture them, and when I have them in my hands,
ah--!"
He clenched his fists in the darkness, and ground his teeth with rage.
Then, realizing that if he was to have the smallest hope of success he
must not delay, he turned swiftly about, and, forgetful of the throbbing
pain in his head, which had followed John's lusty blow, went racing
along the deck to the point where the boat was made fast. Already a crew
of willing Malays were seated in it, and as soon as the bulky Dutchman
had lowered himself into the bows, one of the former threw off the
painter and sent the boat away from the schooner with a vigorous thrust
from his foot.
"Pull!" shouted Hanns Schlott, using the Malay tongue. "An extra share
of the prize if you lay hands upon these English dogs. Indeed, I myself
will give a special reward to anyone who is successful in killing them.
Pull! Let us not waste time, for if we are swift we shall overtake them
ere they reach the shore."
Dipping their long oars into the water, the crew of pirates sent the
boat on her course, and within a few seconds she was well away from the
schooner, with her nose directed for the island of Borneo. Meanwhile,
what had happened to Tyler and his friend?
Once their heads had risen free of the water, they had turned towards
the point where they imagined the dinghy would be, and after swimming
a few strokes had the good fortune to come across her in the darkness.
At once each grasped her by the gunwale, and hung on there while they
prepared for the final effort of climbing in. Suddenly, however, an idea
occurred to Tyler.
"No," he whispered, seeing that John was about to hoist himself up, "do
not get into the boat yet awhile, for then we should be easy targets if
they caught sight of us. Let us swim beside her, and push her away from
the schooner."
"The very thing, sir! There's the painter, and now I've slipped it from
the ring. I reckon that they will follow towards the shore, for what
would take us in the direction of the open sea?"
"Then we'll do what they least expect," said Tyler sharply. "That way,
John, and when we are a hundred yards from the ship let us lie still and
listen. Then we shall learn what steps they are taking to capture us,
and can make our plans accordingly."
Acting on this advice, they silently pushed the small craft out to sea,
swimming with one hand in the water and the other grasping the gunwale.
Soon they had put quite a respectable distance between themselves and
their enemies, and at a jerk from Tyler, who back-watered with his feet,
and so attracted his comrade's attention, they hung without a movement
in the deep water, and listened eagerly for sounds of the pursuers.
"I heard pistols fired," said Tyler softly. "The sea was about my ears
and deadened the sound, but for all that I am sure that they fired.
Perhaps they thought that they saw us in the darkness, or, more likely,
they let go their bullets in the hope of making a lucky shot."
"That's the case, I reckon," answered John. "But steady, sir, the sound
of a voice carries far across the sea on a still night like this. Listen
to that. They are in their boat, and are after us. I can hear that
ruffian's voice."
Once again both were silent, while they turned their faces towards the
shore and listened carefully. Yes, there could be no doubt about the
matter, for Hanns Schlott's voice broke the stillness of the night as he
urged his men at their oars.
"To the shore!" he shouted. "I will give a handful of dollars to the man
who lays his fingers upon them dead or alive. Can anyone see or hear
them?"
No answer was made to his question, though many eyes were staring into
the darkness, and, therefore, without further delay they pulled on
for the shore, hoping to capture the fugitives as they landed, or, if
fortune were kind to them, to arrive on the shore of Borneo before the
white men could reach it, and there lay a trap into which they would
fall. As for Tyler and John Marshall, they clung to the frail boat for
many minutes as she lay there motionless in the water, listening with
all their ears for sounds of the pirates. So calm was the atmosphere,
and so still the night, that, as the latter had remarked, the slightest
sound travelled along the surface of the sea in a remarkable manner, and
could be heard quite a distance away. Thanks to this fact, the splash of
oars as the boat was rowed away from them reached their ears distinctly,
as did also the hoarse commands of the Dutchman who accompanied the
searchers as he gave the order to cease pulling. Then there was silence
once more, and for many minutes the gentle lap of water against the
frail sides of the dinghy could alone be heard.
"We will tire their patience out by remaining where we are," whispered
Tyler, "and fortunately for us the water is so warm that we are not
likely to become chilled by remaining in it for a long period. Perhaps
they will imagine that we have already landed, and in that case they
will not venture to go far afield, for the night is too dark for
pursuit. An hour or more of waiting may convince them that it is useless
to remain, and as soon as they return to the schooner we will swim
towards the land."
"And supposing they remain ashore till the morning?" asked John Marshall
in anxious tones. "In that case we should certainly be taken, unless, of
course, we waited for, say, a couple of hours and then pushed our boat
away to the right or left, so as to land farther up or down the coast."
"It is a good idea, John," answered Tyler thoughtfully, "and if the
pirates show signs of their determination to waylay us in the morning we
will do as you say. For the present, however, I feel sure that we are
acting for the best by lying quietly here. Our movements in the future
must depend upon circumstances, though you may be sure of this, that
whatever happens we will not be taken without a struggle. Unfortunately
our weapons are practically useless, for the cartridges will have been
destroyed by the water."
"I don't know so much," whispered John hastily, "for just as I was going
overboard I thought of the matter and crammed a handful into my cap,
while I jammed it firmly down upon my head. It's made of thick pilot
cloth, and as I was only under the surface for a few seconds, it's
possible that the ammunition has escaped. Look here!"
Pulling himself a little higher out of the water, he leaned his chin on
the gunwale and gently drew his cap from his head. Then, one by one, he
picked some twenty or more cartridges from the lining and placed them
upon one of the seats.
"Not even damp," he said in low tones of delight. "Now, let's have the
revolvers and place them here to dry. The water will quickly drain away
from them, and in half an hour or so they will be fit for use again."
Dragging their weapons from their belts or pockets, as the young
boatswain had suggested, they placed them within the boat with open
breeches and muzzles pointing downwards. Then, satisfied that they had
done all that was possible, they once more turned their attention to the
schooner, and to the pirates who had landed upon the shore.
"Hush!" whispered Tyler earnestly, some little time later, as a voice
came reverberating across the water. "Someone is talking, and I think
that it is the Dutchman."
"Sure enough, sir," agreed John, "and what's more, he's hailing the
schooner. I wonder what he's saying!"
Both listened attentively, but owing to their ignorance of the Dutch
language could make nothing of what they heard. That it was Hanns
Schlott whose hail had come across the water, was evident, for both
Tyler and John were well acquainted with the tones of his voice. Then
someone shouted an answer back from the deck of the schooner, and again,
in spite of the small knowledge that they had of Christian van Sonerell,
they were certain that it was he who responded to his friend.
"There is some movement afoot," remarked Tyler, placing his lips as
close to John's ear as their respective positions would allow. "And
hark! there is someone moving ashore. Yes, I heard the boat splash as
she was run into the water, and there is the clatter of oars."
Clinging there, with their heads just above the surface and their ears
clear of the sea, both Tyler and his companion could hear the sounds
as though they were made close at hand. Indeed, the calm sea, with its
unruffled surface, seemed to accentuate the sounds and transmit them
with such clearness that, though some hundreds of feet away, the noise
of an oar falling into its place in the rowlock, and the splash as the
blade was dipped, were heard as though close at hand. Then, at a word of
command from Hanns Schlott, the boat shot from the shore, and the sound
of many oars forcing her through the water came to their ears.
"Going back to the schooner," whispered Tyler. "Have they given up the
chase and decided to content themselves with the vessel as a prize, or
are they merely returning there until the day dawns and allows them to
carry on the pursuit with energy? We will wait and keep watch, and if
there is no movement after an hour or more we will follow your plan."
"And what if they are just going aboard to get more men?" said John
Marshall eagerly. "Yer see, sir, it's a long stretch of coast to set a
watch on, and that Dutch rascal is cute enough to know it. Supposing
that's his game, then we shall find escape more difficult still, and
shall have to swim a good mile or more to get clear of the watchers."
"And when we touched the land we should never know whether we were
beyond them or not," replied Tyler thoughtfully. "How many men do you
think went ashore with Hanns Schlott?"
"Just about the number that come aboard with the other rascal, sir."
"And how many do you suppose are now aboard the schooner, John?"
"Ten at the most, and that's an outside figure," was the unhesitating
answer. "I reckon that the Dutchman cleared off with his own fellows,
leaving behind the crew which manned the schooner."
"Then we will change our plans, and for the present will decide not to
go ashore," said Tyler resolutely. "If Hanns Schlott has come to fetch
more men, as I feel sure he has, we will wait until he and the crew have
reached the shore again. Then, John, my friend, we will float silently
down upon the schooner, and will do our best to take possession of our
property. We have arms at hand to help us, and if only we can effect a
complete surprise we should be able to drive the pirates from the deck.
Steady! The boat has just reached the vessel, and by the sounds which
come to us I feel sure that some of the crew are entering her."
That this was the case was quickly evident, for within a few minutes
the splash of oars again sounded across the water, while the pirates'
boat was pulled towards the shore, this time manned by more men than had
accompanied her on her outward journey.