Overdue

THE GREAT ADVENTURE.

"Ah! here you are, Gurney, and Miss Hartley, too," I exclaimed. "That is good; better, indeed, than I dared hope, for I did not expect to see you, Miss Hartley, at least for another two or three hours."

"No," answered Grace; "nor did I expect to be here so soon. But a lucky chance enabled me to get my box out of the hut un.o.bserved, and, George happening to come to my window soon afterward to make his final arrangements, we seized the opportunity and came straight away at once.

Mrs Pierson, with whom I have been staying, believes me to be in bed with a bad headache. I made my escape through the window."

"Excellent!" said I. "Then I suppose we may set to work almost at once, may we not, Gurney?"

"Yes, as soon as you please, Mr Troubridge," answered Gurney. "But I think it would be wise to give everybody a chance to get home and into bed first. It would be rather awkward if anybody should happen to be out late, taking a walk on the Head, and should see us."

"That is true; it would," said I. "Which reminds me that as I came along the beach, on my way here just now, I once or twice had an impression of being followed. I thought that possibly it might be you, and waited for you to overtake me; but nothing came of it."

"It is a case of "guilty conscience", I expect, Mr Troubridge," laughed Gurney. "Why should anyone follow you? n.o.body can possibly suspect us, for neither Grace nor I--nor you either, I suppose--have ever breathed a word of this to a single soul, not even to each other when there has been the slightest chance of our being overheard."

"No, of course not; it was my fancy, perhaps," I answered. "I must plead guilty to having felt a trifle anxious and nervous during the last few days. But that is all gone and past now. The first thing that I want to talk to you about, Gurney, is the boats. I don"t much like the idea of going to sea without boats, and especially the longboat. Now, so far as the quarter boats are concerned, I believe we might manage to get them both hoisted up to the davits, by hooking the watch-tackle on to the falls; but what about the longboat? Do you think there is any possibility of our being able to hoist her in?"

"We might, certainly--if we only had the time," answered Gurney. "But it would have to be done before we pa.s.sed out through the reef. In smooth water--if, as I say, we had the time--I dare say it could be done. But not outside, with the ship rolling and tumbling about; the boat would be stove long before we could get her inboard."

"Undoubtedly," I agreed. "But I have a plan which I think will afford us the time to hoist in the longboat as well as the two quarter boats before we go outside. When once we are safely out of the Basin, what have we to fear? Nothing, except being overtaken and the ship recaptured by a strong body of men sent after us in boats. But if they have no boats they cannot follow us! Now, my plan is this. I propose that, as soon as it seems safe to do so, we proceed to the spot where all the boats are moored, man the jollyboat, and tow all the rest off to the ship, veering them astern by their painters when we get aboard.

Then we will loose and set the fore and main topsail and fore topmast staysail, slip the cable, and work the ship out between the Heads into the lagoon. Once there, we are safe; we can heave-to, and hoist the two quarter boats to the davits, then put on the hatches, and hoist in the longboat, with no fear that anyone can possibly interfere with us.

Then, when we have completed our work to our satisfaction, we can cast the remaining boats adrift--they will be certain to drive ash.o.r.e undamaged, and be recovered--and we can go out through the reef in broad daylight."

"By Jove, Mr Troubridge, you have hit it!" exclaimed Gurney with enthusiasm. "If we can manage to secure the whole of the boats, and get the ship out of the Basin, undetected, we may defy all hands of them.

Yes; I see no possibility of a hitch in that plan. But we shall not be safe until we are outside the Basin. And now, what do you think, Mr Troubridge, will it be safe to make a beginning at once, or shall we give them a little longer to get indoors and to sleep?"

"Every minute is of the utmost value to us," said I. "Still, it would be a pity to spoil all by being too precipitate. Let us wait another hour, at the expiration of which I think we may safely make a move."

Accordingly, we all three sat down in the deepest shadow of the rocks, chatting in low tones and discussing the prospects of the voyage, the chances of success in the somewhat desperate attempt that we were about to make, and kindred matters, until my watch showed that we were within an hour of midnight, when I thought it would be unwise to delay any longer, and accordingly gave the word to make a move. Whereupon Gurney hoisted his sweetheart"s box on his shoulders, and we all three moved cautiously and in dead silence along the beach toward where the boats were moored, keeping close in among the shadows cast by the cliffs and the overhanging foliage.

The boats, with the exception of the jollyboat, were all moored in a string at a distance of about a hundred yards from the beach, the longboat riding to a small boat anchor, while the others were secured to her by their painters, the jollyboat being hauled up on the sand. This was the boat that we intended to use to go off to the ship in, towing the other boats astern; and when we got alongside her, Gurney swung Grace Hartley"s box off his shoulder, intending to deposit it in the stern-sheets of the boat prior to launching her. As he leaned over the gunwale to do so, however, he started back with a smothered e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n, for at the same instant a human figure rose up out of the bottom of the boat, where it had been crouching. To drop the box on the sand was, with Gurney, the work of a second; and the next instant he had the man by the throat and was bearing him back into the bottom of the boat again, while Grace Hartley seized my arm and gripped it like a vice to prevent herself from screaming.

"Not a sound, for your life, Grace!" I hissed in her ear as I shook myself free from her grip. Then, springing to Gurney"s side, I exclaimed in a low, tense whisper:

"Steady, Gurney; steady, man! don"t kill the fellow, and don"t make a noise. Who is he? Let him get up and tell us who he is, and what he is doing here."

"Do you hear what Mr Troubridge says?" growled Gurney in his prisoner"s ear. "Get up and give an account of yourself. But if you attempt to raise your voice I"ll choke the life out of you without more ado. Now then, let us have a look at you. Why, I"ll be shot if it isn"t Saunders!"

Saunders, it may be explained, was one of the original crew of the _Mercury_, and a very quiet, steady, well-conducted fellow. It was probably for that reason that he had not been chosen to go in the ship on her projected voyage to China.

I approached the man and stared in his face. Sure enough it was indeed Saunders; and a very scared as well as somewhat angry appearance he presented.

"Why, Saunders," I exclaimed in low-pitched accents of surprise, "what are you doing here in the boat at this time of night? Come, explain yourself!"

"I will, Mr Troubridge, in half a jiffy, as soon as I"ve got the feel of Gurney"s grip out of my throat," answered the man. "It"s like this, sir. I"ve been on this here island long enough to see that Wilde"s ideas won"t work. I can see that, accordin" to his plan, I may stay here all my life and be no better off than I am to-day, "cause why--the harder I and others like me works the better it is for a lot of lazy shirkin" swabs, who"ve made up their minds that they"ll never do a hand"s turn if they can help it. And I don"t see no fun in workin" for s...o...b..nks like that. I"ve had about enough of it, and I wants to get away from this here place to somewheres where a man can get the full value of his labour. So I"ve kep" my eye on you all day to-day, Mr Troubridge, on the lookout for a chance to ast you to let me stow myself away aboard the _Mercury_ until she gets well out to sea, intendin", you understand, sir, to cut and run at the first port that we touches at.

But I couldn"t get the chance to speak to you without bein" seen by them as I didn"t want to see me, so I follered you to-night when you started out for a walk--as I thought--intendin" to range up alongside of you when we was well clear of the settlement. And afore I could arrange my thoughts shipshape, so"s to make clear what I wanted, you"d jined George here and the young lady, and I couldn"t help hearin" pretty near all that was said. Now, sir, I understands that you and Gurney feels pretty much as I do about Wilde and his notions, and intends to give the lot of "em the slip by makin" off all alone by yourselves in the ship to-night.

Ain"t that it, sir?"

"Well, supposing that we had any such plan, what have you to say about it?" I returned.

"Only this, sir," answered Saunders, "that I begs you most earnestly to let me come in with you. It"s a stiff job, Mr Troubridge, for two people--for the young lady won"t count nothin" to speak of--to work a ship the size of the _Mercury_, and you"d find me most uncommon useful, I a.s.sure ye, sir. I"m an A.B., and knows my business as well as e"er a man--"

"Yes," I agreed, "that is perfectly true, Saunders, for I have noticed you more often than perhaps you think. But have you considered the tremendous amount of hard work that would fall to your share in such an adventure as you speak of? And hard work is not the only thing that has to be considered; a voyage of the kind that you are talking about is certain to involve a considerable element of danger. Are you--"

"I don"t care that for danger or hardship," interrupted Saunders, snapping his fingers emphatically. "Only say that I may jine in the picnic, and you shan"t have no cause to regret it, sir."

"What say you, Gurney?" I asked. "You have a right to a voice in this matter; and you probably know Saunders a good deal better than I do."

"I say let him come by all means, Mr Troubridge," answered Gurney. "He is a good man, and will be worth his weight in gold to us."

"So I think," agreed I. "But," turning to Saunders, "are you prepared to start with us now, this instant? For I cannot consent to incur the risk and delay that would be involved in a return to the settlement."

"There"s no call for me to go back, sir," answered the man eagerly.

"I"ve n.o.body to say goodbye to. And as to "dunnage", why, I dare say I can make out pretty well durin" the v"yage by helpin" myself from the chests I shall find in the fo"c"s"le."

"Very well, then," said I, "you may come, Saunders, and welcome. Now, Miss Hartley, step in, please, and sit down while Gurney and I shove off. In with that box though, Gurney; we must not leave that behind.

Go aft, Saunders, and help with an oar; but remember, everything must be done in absolute silence."

The boat, which was already afloat for three parts of her length, was easily launched, and in another minute I was seated in the stern-sheets beside Grace Hartley, while Gurney and Saunders were gently and silently paddling toward the spot where the rest of the boats were moored. We ranged quietly up alongside the longboat, and I got hold of her painter and hauled up the anchor, which I placed in the bottom of the jollyboat.

Whereupon the two men at the oars once more gave way gently, and we were soon slowly heading for the ship with the whole string of boats in tow. It took us a full half-hour to accomplish the distance between the ship and the spot where the boats had been moored, and during the whole of that time Gurney and Saunders kept their eyes intently fixed upon the settlement, while I steered; but the place remained wrapped in darkness, and nothing occurred to occasion us the least alarm.

During our stealthy pa.s.sage across the basin we discussed in low tones the important question of the boats; and it was ultimately settled that we would take two of the four gigs, and at least make an effort to hoist in the longboat, the other two gigs and the jollyboat to be cast adrift and allowed to drive ash.o.r.e as soon as we were ready to pa.s.s out through the reef. Accordingly, as soon as we had arrived alongside the ship, and Grace Hartley and her box had been safely pa.s.sed up the side, all the boats were veered astern, the longboat and the best two of the gigs each by her own painter, while the other two gigs and the jollyboat were secured together in a string, one astern of the other, so that by casting off one painter all three of the boats would be released at the same instant, while, being lashed together, they would all go ash.o.r.e at the same spot.

By the time these arrangements were carried out the hour of midnight had arrived. The moon--or what there was left of her--was not due to rise until an hour and twenty minutes later; but by the time that we had got the two gigs hooked on, and the tackles hauled hand-taut--which was as much as we intended to do with them before getting clear of the basin-- we had come to the conclusion that the stars afforded us light enough to see by, and we therefore determined to proceed at once with the task of setting the canvas. I was more anxious over this part of our job than any other, for it was no light task for four people--one of whom was a slender slip of a girl--to sheet home and hoist the fore and main topsails of an eight-hundred-ton ship. It would be rather a lengthy business, and somewhat noisy at that; for on a quiet night the rasping of the chain sheets through the sheeve-holes might be heard at a considerable distance, far enough, indeed, to attract the attention of any sleepless individual in the settlement. Moreover, the inside of the Basin was a particularly quiet spot, being under the lee of the Heads, and thus sheltered to a considerable extent from the sweep of the wind.

True, the reef lay to windward, and the ceaseless roar of the surf upon it filled the air with such a volume of sound during the night that other sounds might well be drowned in it; but if perchance any suspicious sounds from the direction of the ship were to reach the settlement, and the alarm be given, it might still be very awkward for us, although we had all the boats. For the settlers had plenty of firearms and ammunition obtained from the cargo; and if they were to muster on the Heads in time to fire upon us as we pa.s.sed out of the Basin, one or more of us might be hit and disabled, if not killed, which would greatly jeopardise the success of our attempted flight. Still, the risk had to be taken, and all that we could do was to minimise it as much as possible by taking every precaution.

Accordingly the buntlines, clewlines, and leech-lines were cast off and very carefully overhauled, and the watch-tackle hitched to the halyards before any of us went up on the yards; then the gaskets were cast off, and the main topsail sheeted home. To us, with our every sense wrought to its highest pitch by anxiety, the noise was absolutely appalling, and seemed as though it might easily be heard at the most distant extremity of the island; but the die was cast. We had taken our fate in our hands, and there was nothing for it now but to go on and get this part of the business over as quickly as possible; therefore as soon as the sheets seemed to be home we belayed them and sprang to the watch-tackle.

With the a.s.sistance of this handy little piece of gear we got the heavy yard mastheaded without much difficulty, although the process was a somewhat lengthy one, in consequence of the necessity to frequently fleet the tackle, racking the halyards meanwhile to keep what we had gained. However, we completed the job at length, and then the same process had to be gone through with the fore topsail; and it was while we were dragging away at the halyard of this sail that Grace Hartley, upon whom we had not as yet found it necessary to call for help, came running forward to tell us that lights were beginning to flash out here and there in the settlement. It was true; for when we paused from our labours for a moment to verify the statement I counted four separate points of light, and while we still stood looking, another and another leapt out of the darkness.

"The alarm is given and the men are being roused!" I exclaimed. "Well, it cannot be helped; and, anyhow, they are too late; for before they can even discover that we have the boats we shall be under way. Tail on again, my hearties, and let us get this yard mastheaded, then our heavy work will be done for the present. Grace, you will find a lantern in the steward"s pantry; light it, please, and bring it for"ard, but take care that the gleam is not seen from the sh.o.r.e. Well, there, with the halyards, belay! I think we have all that we can get of it. Saunders, slip out and cast loose the fore topmast staysail. Gurney, lend me a hand to brace round the foreyard!"

Little or no attempt was now made at concealment; we hoisted the fore topmast staysail, and, light as was the breeze inside the Basin, the rustling of that important piece of canvas drummed in our ears with a sound like thunder; but I had sense enough to know that it was exceedingly doubtful whether or not it could be heard at the settlement.

The most noisy part of our work was yet to come, however; and to it we now bent our energies. This was the slipping of the cable. We soon had the shackle out, and the released portion of the cable at once rushed through the hawse-pipe with a roar that must certainly be heard at the settlement. Then I dashed aft to the wheel and flung it hard over to help the ship to cant, which she did with, as it seemed to me, most exasperating sluggishness. But she paid off at last, when we hauled aft the staysail sheet, braced up the yards, and the _Mercury_ began, very deliberately, to forge ahead, and our great adventure was at length fairly begun. Then, while the ship ratched across the Basin, prior to tacking to pa.s.s out between the two Heads, Gurney and Saunders, both of whom were exceptionally powerful men, went to work to hoist the two gigs up to the davits.

By the time that they had got the first boat up, and the second one out of the water, we were far enough to windward to render it necessary to tack in order to avoid putting the old barkie ash.o.r.e on the northern beach. I was just a little doubtful whether the ship would work under such short canvas, but we had now drawn out from under the lee of the south Head, and were feeling something of the true breeze. The water was smooth, and the ship had very nearly four knots" way on her, I therefore determined to try it, and, giving the word "Ready about!" to the others, put the helm very gently down, my aim being to sail her round, if possible, with as little drag as might be from the rudder.

She luffed into the wind quite as freely as could reasonably be expected; and the moment that I heard the head sails begin to flap I jammed the helm hard down and lashed it there, leaving the ship to herself while I sprang to help the others to swing the mainyard. By the time that we had got this and the main topsail yard round the ship was fairly paying off on the other tack, when I sang out to Grace to cast off the lashing and steady the helm. Then, letting go the fore braces, we dragged round the head yards and got them also braced up; whereupon I ran aft to the wheel again, leaving Gurney and Saunders to trim over the fore topmast staysail sheet.

Upon reaching the wheel I found Grace Hartley already perched alongside it, and the ship well to windward of the pa.s.sage between the Heads. She had fallen off a good bit, owing to the sluggishness with which the head yards had been swung, but she was already coming to, and a few seconds later her jibboom was pointing straight for the middle of the pa.s.sage, with the Heads looming up on either hand, black as ebony against the faint shimmer of starlight on the waters of the lagoon beyond. Gurney and Saunders now came aft and proceeded to complete the hoisting of the second quarter boat; and seeing that Grace seemed to know pretty well what she was about with the wheel I left her at it, directing her to steer the ship as nearly as might be midway between the two Heads, and went to lend the others a hand with the boat.

We had both davit-tackles "two blocks" by the time that the ship was fairly clear of the Heads and in the lagoon, after which we put the hatches on and battened them down. Then came the formidable job of endeavouring to hoist in the longboat--and a formidable job it was, when we actually came to seriously consider it. Nevertheless we determined to make the attempt. Time was the only thing needed to a.s.sure us success; and it was just in regard to this that we had our doubts. For it must be remembered that although we had got the ship out of the Basin, she was not yet in open water; on the contrary, she was now moving athwart the placid waters of the lagoon, heading about sou"-sou"- east. This lagoon, I think I have somewhere said, was, roughly, crescent-shaped in plan, measuring about ten miles long by about two and a half miles wide at its broadest part, the northern end being a trifle the more weatherly of the two.

Now, our plan was this. A ship, when hove-to, drifts along on a course as nearly as possible at right angles to the direction of the wind, which, in this case, was blowing due east. We therefore proposed to work the _Mercury_ up toward the northern end of the lagoon, until, when brought round and hove-to, she should have room to drive slowly to the southward without going ash.o.r.e on the fringing reef which projected into the lagoon an average distance of a mile from the island. Then, while she was thus drawing to the southward--the available distance being about seven miles, or maybe a trifle more--we were to make the attempt to hoist in the longboat by means of yard tackles, and stow her on the main hatch. The hatches were already on and battened down. To get the chocks into place to receive the boat was but the work of a few minutes; and then came the business of rousing out the yard tackles and getting them aloft. I knew where to lay my hand upon them, and soon had them ready for sending aloft; but by the time that we had got thus far the ship had drawn well over toward the southern end of the barrier reef, and it was time to heave about. We therefore tacked ship again, the old hooker working in much more lively fashion this time, because we were now within the influence of the true breeze. Then, with Grace Hartley still at the wheel, Gurney and Saunders went aloft and got the tackles up on the fore and main yards, also the stay purchases; and we were then ready to begin the actual work itself. The boat was next hauled alongside the starboard gangway, in readiness to be hooked on; when, the ship being by this time as far to the northward as it was prudent to go, we tacked, and hove-to on the port tack.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

THE CATACLYSM.

No sooner was the ship round and hove-to, with her fore topsail aback, than Gurney and Saunders slid down into the longboat and hooked on the tackles, which I stood by on deck to haul taut. Then by means of a s.n.a.t.c.h-block, the watch-tackle, and the winch, we proceeded to lift first the bows and then the stern out of the water, a foot or so at a time. It was slow, tedious work; but we were greatly a.s.sisted by the light of the moon, which was by this time well above the horizon; and by working as though for our lives we at length managed to get the boat well above the level of the bulwarks, to transfer her weight from the yards to the stay tackles, and to swing her inboard a few minutes before it became imperatively necessary for us to wear round in order to avoid going ash.o.r.e upon the barrier reef. By this time, too, we were able to see a great crowd of people gathered upon the south Head watching us; and once or twice we even thought we caught the sound of hailing; but their attempts to communicate with us ended with that, a fear which I had entertained that a number of them might attempt to swim out and scramble aboard while we were all busy with the longboat proving groundless.