"What am I to do without my barber and clerk and storekeeper, I should like to know?" exclaimed Captain Hake. "Why the young fellow works all my observations for me. No, no. Be reasonable, Bland; he is bound to me, remember. I will lend him to you now, but when the "Eagle" leaves this harbour he goes in her."
I thought that it was my captain who was not reasonable. I felt dreadfully disappointed, but I was his slave, and compelled to submit.
CHAPTER FOUR.
Captain Hake invited Mrs Bland and Mary to take up their abode on board the "Eagle" while the Lady Alice was hove down, and looked much disappointed when he heard that a tent had been put up for them on sh.o.r.e. I need not describe the operation of heaving down further than by saying that the topmasts being struck, the cargo landed, and the ballast shifted, the ship is heeled over on one side, till her keel can be seen, then stages are slung, so that every part may be easily reached. When one side is repaired she is turned over, and the other is treated in the same way.
Before commencing operations Medley and I were engaged for some hours in securing all the things in the cabins, so that nothing might be broken, while the bedding and many other articles were carried on sh.o.r.e. I suggested to Captain Bland that it would be prudent to have a guard near him at night, and begged that he would allow Medley and me, with our faithful Kroomen, Pepper and Salt, and four of his own most trustworthy men, to put up a couple of rough tents, which would afford sufficient shelter to us in that warm climate.
"Do as you like, Jack," he answered. "We shall be glad of your company in the evening, but I do not apprehend the slightest risk by our remaining on sh.o.r.e alone."
I carried out my proposal, each of us having a musket and ammunition, and a very pleasant evening Medley and I spent in the tent, Captain Hake not making his appearance, as we feared he would. Of course we went off at daybreak to the ship, as we had to work as hard as the rest. Having knocked off, however, an hour or so before nightfall, we hurried on sh.o.r.e, when Mary asked us to escort her on an exploring trip into the island.
"I should like to climb to the top of yonder high hill," she said; "we may get there and back before dark, I am sure."
"If you don"t mind our being in our working suits, Miss Bland," observed Medley. "It would take us some time to polish up."
"I quite forgot how you were dressed," she answered, laughing; "I only knew that you had been engaged in a necessary duty, which has, now I come to look at you, certainly made you unusually tarry and grimy.
However, we are not likely to meet anybody else who will mind how you look, so pray let us set off."
We started, Medley and I carrying our muskets, in case we should meet with any strange creature we might wish to shoot--though we knew that there were no alligators or pumas, or other savage beasts such as are found on the neighbouring continent. The scenery was certainly not picturesque. Out of the black tufa-formed soil on the lower ground grew numerous curiously-shaped cacti, or p.r.i.c.kly pear shrubs, and we caught sight in the distance of one or two monster terrapins crawling among them. At last we reached the entrance of a narrow valley, in which, to our surprise, we found a luxuriant tropical vegetation, not only of gra.s.s and shrubs, but of trees of considerable height, produced, we had no doubt, by a fountain of clear water which, issuing from the mountain"s side at the farther end, flowed down the centre in a babbling stream of some width, though what afterwards became of it we could not discover. Numberless birds, several of gay plumage, flew about in all directions, and were so tame that they perched on the branches close to us whenever we stopped, as if to ask what we wanted in their domain, and three at different times settled on Mary"s head or shoulders.
Medley was going to shoot at some which looked like pigeons, but she cried out, "For shame! I would not for the world have the beautiful things killed. They trust us, and it would be a cruel return for their confidence."
My messmate immediately lowered his gun. "You are right, Miss Bland,"
he answered; "I did not consider what I was about to do."
He shortly afterwards proposed climbing to the top of a cliff from which he expected to obtain a view over the island to the northward. As this was a task Mary was unable to accomplish, I remained with her while he set off alone. As I saw by the sun that it was high time to commence our return, I told him that we would walk on slowly towards the tents, so that he might overtake us. I cannot say that I was exactly in a hurry for him to do so, as Mary and I being old friends we naturally had a good deal to talk about which could not interest him. At last, however, it struck me that he ought to have caught us up; on looking back I saw him running towards us. On our stopping to allow him to come up he made a sign to us to go on. Had I been alone I should have waited, but though I could not divine what danger threatened I thought it prudent to hurry Mary on.
"What can he have seen to alarm him?" she asked.
"That is more than I can say, but he is not a person to be alarmed without reason," I answered.
"It is said that these islands were produced by volcanoes; perhaps one has just burst forth, and he fears that the lava may overtake us."
"We should have heard the noise and seen the fire and smoke if that were the case," I replied.
"Then it is possible that he may have seen some wild beast which was not known to exist here," she observed. "Do you think so?"
Medley, who at that moment overtook us, answered the question, "Not a wild beast, Miss Bland, but a set of ruffians, whom it might be dangerous for you to meet; I saw them just below me carousing round a blazing fire, at which they had been cooking a terrapin, or some other animal. As I crept nearer to find out who they were, I at once guessed their character by their horrible oaths, the s.n.a.t.c.hes of ribald songs and savage laughter which reached my ears. I got near enough even to distinguish the features of several of them, among whom I recognised Tom Moon, the armourer, and Jos Mortis, both of whom were among the rascals who ran off with our whale boat from Tumbez, you remember, Jack. I think there were others of the gang, but would not be certain. I was retiring when Moon caught sight of me and shouted to his companions to give chase. Fortunately most of them were too drunk to make much headway, but seeing that some of them were coming, I judged it prudent to run on and warn you, for I suspect that they are ready for any kind of atrocity."
While my messmate was giving this account we were hurrying on--indeed there was no time to lose under any circ.u.mstances, for almost directly after the sun had set it would become dark, and we might have much difficulty in finding our way. I frequently looked back with some anxiety, and fancied that I saw several men in the distance, but we still hoped to reach the tents before they could come up with us.
Medley and I were resolved, should they do so, to keep them at bay with our muskets till Mary had effected her escape. She kept up her spirits, not being as much alarmed as I thought she would have been. I was greatly relieved when at length we saw the white tops of the tents. As we got nearer I shouted, and soon Captain Bland appeared, followed by Pepper and Salt.
"You have been too long away, young people, and I was on the point of setting out to look for you; however, as I have no doubt that you have plenty of good excuses to offer, you are forgiven," he said, in his kind, cheery way. When Medley told him of the sort of characters we had seen he expressed his satisfaction that we had avoided them. "They probably belong to the schooner you saw standing in for the island the other day, Jack; and if so, the chances are that she is not the honest fisherman we supposed," he remarked. "We must keep a watch on the fellows in case they should come this way."
Though he said this he did not appear to be much troubled about the matter, and we were soon all seated at Mrs Bland"s tea-table in her tent. I, however, had told Pepper and Salt, whom I could trust, to be on the look-out, so that we might not be taken by surprise. We spent the evening happily as usual, Mary singing to her guitar, while the kind captain told some of his best stories, at which he always laughed most heartily himself. I made an excuse two or three times to go out, to be sure that the Kroomen were on the alert, and I also visited the seamen"s tent, and told them to be ready to turn out if necessary.
"All right, Jack," said the captain, guessing what I had been about.
"You"ve got the wise prudence of a careful officer in you, though I don"t think the roistering crew Medley saw will attempt to make their way to-night thus far from their camp."
When I again sat down the captain told the last of his stories for the night, and Mary sang another song; but scarcely had her sweet notes died away than Pepper"s rough voice was heard shouting, "Who go dere! Stop or shoot!"
"Who says that?" exclaimed an English voice, though as gruff as the black"s.
"I say dat," cried Salt, who was at some distance from his companion.
"Take care--I see you."
I guessed that the Kroomen, favoured by the colour of their skins, had concealed themselves, so that the intruders were puzzled as to their whereabouts, and afraid to approach. Medley and I hurried out of the tent, and calling up the seamen, who followed us with their muskets, went to where the Kroomen were posted. The ground rising slightly, we could see several dark figures in front of us against the sky moving about, but I doubted whether they could make us out. If the pirates, for such we had good reason to suppose they were, had expected to take us by surprise they were disappointed. Our men c.o.c.ked their muskets with loud clicks, which might easily have been heard by them. We waited in silence to see what they would do, but they seemed undecided.
Presently we were joined by Captain Bland.
"What is it you want here, my men?" he shouted. "We can receive no visitors to-night. To-morrow morning if you come back we will hear what you have to say."
The pirates must have guessed who spoke to them, for one of them immediately answered, "Just listen, captain; we want some bread and rum, and salted pork, and a supply of powder and lead, with some shot, and a few other things. We wish to be moderate, but the things we must have to-morrow morning as soon as you can send on board for them if you haven"t brought enough on sh.o.r.e."
"As to that I can make no promise, so goodnight to you, men," said the captain, in a firm tone.
The strangers made no reply, but we could hear them talking among themselves. Presently one of them shouted, "We must take what we want!"
and the whole gang, numbering three times as many as our party, uttering savage shouts, came rushing on, till, when they were within twenty yards of us, the Kroomen, without waiting for orders, fired at them. They, on this, hesitated for a moment, and then there came a random volley from muskets and pistols, the shots whistling past our ears. A dreadful idea occurred to me.
"Mrs Bland and Mary may be hurt, sir," I exclaimed.
"No fear of that, my lad," said the captain; "I bade them lie down under their bedding, for I thought that the rascals might use their fire-arms."
Just as he spoke the pirates began again to advance, though with more caution than at first, but they had not moved many steps when the four seamen fired, and the Kroomen, who had quickly reloaded, did the same.
This again checked the advance of the pirates, who probably did not expect to meet with so warm a reception.
"Reserve your fire the rest of you," shouted the captain, to give the fellows the idea that we had more men ready to receive them should they venture to come on. Strange to say, none of our party were hit, nor, as far as we could tell, were any of them brought to the ground.
Providentially for us, the whole of the pirates being drunk, and many of them cowards at heart, instead of rushing forward, as we had expected them to do, they retired to a distance, shouting and swearing at us as they went off. I thought that Captain Bland would now send his wife and daughter out of danger on board the "Eagle," but he considered that by so doing the few men who remained might be overpowered, and his property left to the mercy of the pirates.
"I don"t think that the fellows will return, and if they do we must treat them as before," he observed. "The chances are that in a short time they will be all fast asleep. They attacked us in a drunken freak more than with any settled plan."
For some time it appeared that he was right. He returned to the tent to relieve the anxiety of his wife and daughter, while Medley and I mounted guard with Pepper and Salt, telling the other men that we expected them to relieve us in a couple of hours. Before half that time, however, had expired, we heard the pirates again coming on. Presently, giving vent to the most fearful shouts and shrieks, they fired a volley at us and then came rushing on. Their voices aroused our companions, who sprang out to our a.s.sistance, while Captain Bland, who had been on the alert, also joined us.
"Kneel down, lads, and do not fire till I give the word," he said, in a low voice.
We obeyed him, and scarcely had we done so than the pirates, still shouting and shrieking, discharged their pieces, the shot, however, flying over our heads; then on they again came, but before they got much nearer, a hearty cheer rose from the direction of the beach, and some thirty men or more from the two ships, armed with pikes, cutla.s.ses, and muskets, came tramping up, again cheering l.u.s.tily. We all fired just before they joined us. The pirates did not stop to encounter them, but scampered off as fast as their legs could carry them, several throwing down their weapons the more quickly to escape. Captain Hake, who led the party just landed, followed with most of the men for some distance, but no one could move rapidly over the rough ground, and the pirates, favoured by the darkness, and better acquainted with the country than we were, effected their escape. Though there was very little chance of their again molesting us, watch was kept during the night. Captain Hake said that on hearing the firing, suspecting that we were attacked, though by whom he could not conjecture, he had lowered his own boats, and summoned Captain Bland"s crew to our a.s.sistance. The next morning a party set off to try and capture our a.s.sailants, but they had managed to reach their schooner, which was seen standing out to sea. Though no dead bodies were found, marks of blood seen on the rocks showed that several had been wounded.
Mary was unwilling to make any more distant excursions, but she and her mother continued to reside on the island till the "Lady Alice" was ready for sea. Now came the moment of trial. Captain Hake had been specially civil whenever he met me in company with Captain Bland, and I began to hope that he would allow me to join the "Lady Alice." My old friend at length once more pressed the point. Captain Hake at once a.s.sumed the stern manner he knew well how to put on.
"I mustn"t let the lad think too much of himself; but it"s just this, Captain Bland, you want him and so do I, and as I have a right to him I intend to keep him. He rejoins the "Eagle" this evening."
Captain Bland could not complain. He had received great a.s.sistance from Captain Hake, who lent him Pepper and Salt and two Sandwich islanders, with which addition to his crew, now that the rest were well, he was able to continue his fishing. Mary, however, was very indignant with Captain Hake, and went so far as to call him a hard-hearted, cruel man, who wanted me to do all his drudgery, instead of allowing me to act as an officer with her father.
The next morning we sailed, and for some time kept company. I was glad to see the "Lady Alice" shortly afterwards take two whales, for I felt as much interest in her success as in that of our own ship. Twice we were becalmed when close together, and Medley and I got leave to pay a visit to our friends. I need not say that we were most kindly received.
It seemed to us like going out of the rough world into a small paradise when we entered the pretty neat cabin, and were seated at the table with Mary and good Mrs Bland. Medley had a talent for drawing, and used to make pictures of ships and scenes descriptive of whale-catching for Mary, which we thought very good and true to nature. Among them were two--one of a ship leaving port, another of one returning.