"Are you a good shot with a rifle, Mr. Atherton?"
"Yes; although I say it myself, I am an exceptionally good shot. I have practised a great deal with the rifle, and have, I suppose, a natural apt.i.tude for it; for when I fire I am morally certain of hitting my mark, though I am hardly conscious of taking aim."
When the contents of a few boats had been taken on board the captain made signs that he required no more, and the natives, with looks of evident discontent, paddled back to the sh.o.r.e.
"We shall have some chiefs off in the morning," the captain said.
"To-day they have kept in the background, but seeing that we are wary and on our guard they will probably come off to-morrow to view matters for themselves. I shall let them perceive that I am well prepared, and it may be when they see this they will be inclined to do a little honest trading, and to bring off a strong spar with which we can at anyrate make a shift for our mainmast. We will keep watch and watch as if we were at sea. It is as likely as not some of their canoes may be coming out in the night to see if we are to be caught napping."
"It is horrid," Kate Mitford said, as she with her sister, Marion, and several of the younger pa.s.sengers stood together that evening on the p.o.o.p looking towards the sh.o.r.e. The young moon was sinking in the west, the stars shone with great brilliancy, and the water was as smooth as gla.s.s. The outline of the palms could be made out against the sky, and in several places the light of fires could be perceived, and the stillness of the evening was broken by the hum of distant voices. "It is really a shame that we cannot go ash.o.r.e. I am sure the savages looked civil and friendly, and it would be delightful to wander about in such a wood as that."
Two or three voices were raised in a.s.sent.
"Have you heard the little story of the spider and the fly, Miss Kate?"
Mr. Atherton said, moving across from the other side of the deck, where he was smoking a cigar. "In that case, you know, it was the prettiest little bower that ever you did espy, and perhaps the fly admired it just as much as you admire that grove ash.o.r.e. The result of a visit would be identical in both cases. Those on board other ships have been taken in by the peaceful appearance of the natives and the loveliness of the islands, and the result was fatal to them. Personally, I should feel much more comfortable if I saw those savages putting out in a body in their canoes to attack the ship than I do now while they are keeping up this pretence of friendliness. An open danger one can meet, but when you know that treachery is intended, but have no idea what form it will take or when the mask of friendship will be thrown off, it is trying to the nerves. Fortunately we know their character, and may hope to be ready when the danger comes. Still the waiting is trying."
"And you really feel that, Mr. Atherton?" Marion Renshaw asked.
"I do indeed, Miss Renshaw. We may get away without trouble; but if so, it will be solely because the natives see that we are prepared for them and are not to be taken by surprise. Seeing our crippled state, my own opinion is, that the natives will not let us go off without making at least one attempt to surprise us."
Mr. Atherton spoke strongly, for he thought that it was possible that some of the youngsters might, unless thoroughly roused to a sense of danger, do something foolish and rash. His words had the effect desired.
His share in the affair at Rio had caused him to be regarded with respect and admiration by the young men on board, and they felt that if in his opinion the danger was grave it was not for them to doubt its reality. A vigilant watch was kept all night, and loaded muskets were served out to the watch on deck. The guns had been loaded before they anch.o.r.ed, and the spare muskets were placed so as to be handy for the watch below should they be suddenly called up. After the moon went down a light mist rose on the surface of the sea. Several times during the night faint sounds were heard near the ship, but immediately the officer of the watch challenged, silence reigned for a considerable time.
"How has the night pa.s.sed, Ryan?" Mr. Atherton asked the first officer as soon as he came on deck, just as daylight was breaking.
"There have been some of them near us all night," Mr. Ryan replied. "I do not think they were in force, but they wanted to see whether we kept a sharp watch; and I think we have satisfied them as to that, for everytime the slightest noise was heard we hailed at once. I should like to have sent a musket-ball in the direction of the sound, but as we must get a spar, if possible, and shall be all the better for a score or two casks of fresh water, it won"t do to begin to quarrel with them. Once we get what we want on board the beggars may attack us as soon as they like. It would do them a world of good to get handsomely thrashed, and to be taught that vessels are not to be plundered with impunity."
"As you say, it might do them good, but I hope there will be no trouble.
I have no doubt whatever that we should beat them off, but we might lose some lives in doing it; besides, we have ladies on board."
"I hope so too; and, prepared as we are, I should feel quite safe if it was not for that mast being gone. They know that we are comparative cripples, and no doubt looked upon us as lawful booty when they saw us making in; and I do not think they will let themselves be balked of their prey without an effort."
"That is just my view of the matter, and I mean to keep a sharp look-out while we are here. You will all have your hands full, and I will get two or three of the young fellows to join with me in keeping a sharp watch over their doings."
"That is a good plan," the mate agreed. "There will, as you say, be plenty for us to do, and it worries one to have to attend to work and to keep one"s eyes at the back of one"s head at the same time. Of course we shall always have a watch set whatever we are doing, still I have more faith in your look-out than in that of half a dozen fo"castle hands."
When the two Allens and Wilfrid came on deck Mr. Atherton drew them aside. "Look here, lads," he began. "You heard what I said last night. I meant it, and I am sure I was not wrong, for there have been canoes hovering about us all night. Now, in a short time the officers and crew will be seeing about getting water on board, and if the natives bring out a spar that will do as a jury mainmast there will be the work of tr.i.m.m.i.n.g it, getting it into its place, and rigging it. My own opinion is, that now the natives see we are suspicious and on the watch they will for some time make a show of being extremely friendly so as to throw us off our guard, and as the officers and sailors will be busy they may possibly relax their precautions a little. Now I propose that you and I shall const.i.tute an amateur watch from sunrise to dark. After that the men"s work will be done, and there will be no fear of their being taken by surprise. The real danger is, I think, in the daytime.
Wilfrid and I will take the second-mate"s watch, and do you two take the first-mate"s--that is, if you agree to my proposal."
The three young fellows at once expressed their willingness to do as he directed them.
"During our respective watches," Mr. Atherton went on, "we must keep our attention directed solely to the natives. There must be no watching what is going on on board, no talking and laughing with the other pa.s.sengers; we must consider ourselves as if on duty. One of us must take his place on the fo"castle, the other in the waist. The natives are sure to hang round the ship in their canoes watching what we are doing, and offering things for sale. It will be our duty to keep a vigilant eye upon them, to watch every movement, to give instant warning if their number is at any time larger than usual, and, in fact, to prevent the possibility of their closing suddenly in upon us and taking us by surprise. Remember, it is a case of absolute duty; I have volunteered to the first officer to undertake it, and he will, relying upon our vigilance, give his attention to his work."
"Shall we be armed, Mr. Atherton?" James Allen asked.
"Yes, James, I think that it will be as well to have our guns beside us while on duty. Of course there is no occasion to have them on our shoulders like sentries, but it will be well to have them always within reach of the hand in case of sudden danger. The report of a musket would give the alarm far quicker and more effectually than a shout would do, especially if men are at work on deck and making a noise. Well, as you agree, we will begin after breakfast."
"How about meals, sir?" Tom Allen asked. "If they mean to make an attack I should think they would be likely to choose meal-time, when the pa.s.sengers are all below and the deck will be comparatively deserted."
"We must keep watch then also," Mr. Atherton said decidedly. "I will speak to Mr. Ryan and ask him to tell the steward that two of us will require something put on the table for them after the others have done.
I do not think that he himself is likely to leave the deck when the captain is below, and the two of us who happen to be on duty can have our meals when he does. Of course whenever those on duty come down for this purpose the others will take their places until they return. We will change about each day. This is supposed to be your watch, Allen, from four to eight. Wilfrid and I will begin the work at that hour. You will relieve us at twelve, and we shall take the watch from four to eight. To-morrow we will take the early watch, and so on."
"I will tell the Grimstones," Wilfrid, who had always gone for a daily chat with the men forward, said; "they will be glad to join us in the watch, and I should think the other men forward would do so too. I know they all find it very hard work to get through the day."
The Grimstones at once agreed to keep watch, as did the other three men who occupied the fore cabin with them. Mr. Atherton got muskets and ammunition for them from Mr. Ryan, and the two Grimstones were appointed to his watch, the other men to that of the Allens.
At seven bells most of the pa.s.sengers came on deck to enjoy the fresh morning air for an hour before breakfast.
"You are not going to enjoy the pleasure of Wilfrid"s or my company at breakfast, Mrs. Renshaw," Mr. Atherton said, smiling, to that lady as she stood with the three girls round her on the p.o.o.p.
"Why not, Mr. Atherton?" she asked in surprise.
"He and the Allens and myself are going to do amateur sentry work as long as we lie here, Mrs Renshaw. The crew will be all busy refitting the ship, and so I have volunteered to undertake, with their a.s.sistance, the duty of keeping a sharp eye on those tricky gentlemen ash.o.r.e."
"Are you in earnest, Mr. Atherton?"
"Quite in earnest that we are going to do so, Mrs. Renshaw. There may be no absolute occasion for it, but there is nothing like keeping on the safe side; and as we cannot go ash.o.r.e, and one cannot talk continuously for fifteen or sixteen hours, we may just as well pa.s.s a portion of our time in playing at sentinels."
"But when will you get breakfast?" Marion asked. "Shall I bring it up to you, Mr. Atherton?"
"No, thank you, Miss Renshaw. We have arranged to have it with Mr. Ryan afterwards. I am much obliged to you for your offer just the same. It is a very kind one, especially since you will, for once, particularly enjoy your breakfast, as you will have room for your elbows."
"You are laughing at me again, Mr. Atherton. One would really think that you take me to be about ten years old."
"I think a little teasing does you good, Miss Renshaw. It is one of the privileges of us old fellows to try to do good to our young friends; and girls of your age lord it so over their brothers and their brothers"
friends, that it is good for them to be teased a little by their elders."
"Would not you think, mother," Marion appealed, "that Mr. Atherton by his talk was somewhere about eighty and that I was quite a child?"
"I agree with him that it is rather a good thing for girls of your age, Marion, to be snubbed a little occasionally; especially on a voyage like this, when there are several young fellows on board who have nothing better to do than to wait upon you and humour your whims."
There was a general laugh. Before a fresh subject was started the breakfast bell rang and the pa.s.sengers went below. Mr. Atherton fetched his rifle from his cabin, and Wilfrid was going to unpack his double-barrelled gun when his friend said: "I should not bother about that now, Wilfrid; take one of the ship"s muskets. It will make just as much noise if you have to fire it, and you will not be alarming the pa.s.sengers by bringing your gun backwards and forwards from your cabin.
I am going to hang up my rifle when I come off guard in Ryan"s cabin on deck, where it will be handy. You take the fo"castle, your two men can be in the waist, one on each side, and I will take the p.o.o.p. Just at present our duty will be a nominal one, as the canoes have not put out, but I expect they will be here before long."
Before breakfast was over, indeed, a large canoe was brought down from the woods and placed in the water, and a number of natives appeared on the sh.o.r.e. The first officer at once summoned the captain on deck.
"Tell all the men to have their arms handy, Mr. Ryan," the captain said as he looked at the gathering on sh.o.r.e. "I do not suppose they mean to attack us in this open way, still we may as well be upon our guard.
Order the men not to show their arms, but to go about their work as usual. We do not wish to appear afraid of them, or to take up a position of hostility. I hope the chiefs are coming off for a friendly palaver."
In a few minutes the canoes put off from the sh.o.r.e. First came the great canoe, which was paddled by thirty men. In the bow and stern were hideous images. Four natives, evidently of superior rank, were seated near the stern, and in the bow stood a man beating his hands in time to the stroke of the paddles and singing a song, which was responded to by a deep exclamation from the rowers at every stroke. Another man stood by the side of the singer waving a green bough. Behind this great canoe followed a score of smaller ones.
"We will receive them in state, Mr. Ryan. Evidently they intend to keep up an appearance of friendliness at present. We will meet them in the same spirit. Fasten the signal flags on to the halyards and run them up to the masthead, let half a dozen men with cutla.s.ses take their place at the gangway as a sort of guard of honour, let the rest go on with their work but keep their arms handy for action."
When the great canoe approached the vessel the men stopped paddling, and one of the chiefs standing up made an address to the captain, who was standing at the top of the gangway. Not a word that he said was understood, but the address seemed to be of a friendly nature, and the chief held up some cocoa-nuts and yams as if to show his desire to trade. When he had finished the captain took off his hat and also spoke, and by gestures invited the chiefs to come on board. By this time all the pa.s.sengers had come on deck, and were watching the proceedings with great interest.
"Do you think it safe to let them on board?" the first officer asked Mr.
Atherton, who was intently watching the natives in the smaller canoes.
"Quite safe," he replied. "So long as only a few of their followers come with them there is no fear of their attempting anything. While the chiefs are in our hands they act, as it were, as hostages for the good conduct of their people. So far their intentions are clearly peaceful.
Whether that will last will depend upon whether they think there is a chance of success or not. At present all we have to do is to take advantage of it, and to get what we want on board."