empty boxes and barrels were also loweredinto the sea, which, as the tide was then running, would be washed up onthe further reef. There was a great deal to be done, but the hands wereall active and willing; and by the time when the moon rose all the mostnecessary articles had been ferried over.
As soon as the light permitted, the men, under the direction of thecarpenters, began putting up a hut at the spot indicated by the captain.They fortunately found one or two crevices in the rock, in whichuprights could be fixed. A long spar was run across from two of these,and the tarpaulin stretched over it. Then four shorter posts wereplaced at the corners, but at two of these points there were nocrevices, and the spars had to be placed in tall barrels filled withstones. The sides were next filled in with planks, with a door and anopening to serve as a window at the end farthest from the wreck. Thegig continued her voyages under the conduct of Captain Ranken, George,and the second mate, and almost everything that would be required wasbrought over. Mr Whittaker's chest had been one of the first thingscared for.
By daybreak a very tolerable hut had been constructed; and the captaindirected them, as the next job, to put up a barricade extending thewhole length of the hut on the side facing the ship. This was formed ofbarrels and chests containing large stones, of which there was abundanceon the reef, the spaces between them being similarly filled. When thishad been completed, it was broad day, and it was impossible to expectthat the crew, who by this time must have slept off their drunkendebauch, could be kept any longer in ignorance of their officers'proceedings. The second mate was sent, therefore, to inform thepassengers of the removal to the further reef, and convey them over toit as quickly as possible. They were taken by surprise, but compliedreadily enough; only Vander Heyden making some complaint that the cabinparty had been kept in ignorance of what they ought to have been told.
While they were being ferried across in the boat, the captain and Georgereturned for the last time to the deck.
"We are well out of this, sir," remarked George; "we shall be safe overthere."
"Yes, unless they come across to attack us."
"Come across? what, in the long-boat?"
"Yes, in the long-boat. They can't launch it while we have possessionof the deck. But as the ship is left to them, there will be nothing toprevent their doing it."
"It would be a desperate thing to attempt, landing on the reef undersuch a fire as we could open on them."
"No doubt, if they attempted it by day. But in the dark they could getashore unseen by us, and perhaps make one or two voyages before we foundit out. Besides, the long-boat will hold a great number of men. Wemust not risk it."
"What do you propose then, sir?"
"To destroy the boat," answered the captain. "It is easily enough done,if you will lend a hand. But first, are all the others safely landed onthe reef?"
"Yes. The boat, with Mr Rolfe in her, is just coming back for us."
"Very good. Then we will go to work."
He went below and fetched two iron pots, in each of which he placed aheavy charge of powder, rolling a piece of rag round it to prevent itsescape. Then, motioning to George to pick up some heavy blocks of wood,he moved noiselessly across the deck, and laid the pots in the bottom ofthe boat, one at each end, with the blocks to keep them down. Next helaid a train of powder with a slow match, the end of which he ignited.
They now crept down to the boat, and put off. They had almost gotacross, when a loud explosion, followed almost simultaneously by asecond, was heard. Immediately afterwards the men poured up on deck,having evidently contrived some way for themselves of getting up there.Some of them carried carbines, and they might have fired on the captainand his two companions, if these had not hastily drawn up the boat andmade for the shelter of the shed.
"Safe now, sir," remarked Rolfe, "unless they swim across to us."
"They'll hardly try that on," rejoined the captain. "They would be aneasy mark for our rifles, and they know we have several and can usethem. We roust put a man to watch their movements; but I think that isall that will be needed. If breakfast is ready, we may go to it with anappetite."
This had hardly been completed, when Hooper, the man set to watch, camein with the information that a flag of truce had been hoisted on thevessel, and three men, Gott, Shirley, and Sullivan had come down to theedge of the water to parley with the captain.
"Are they unarmed?" asked the second mate.
"Yes, sir," answered Hooper.
"Can you see anything of the other men?" inquired the doctor.
"There are none on the reef, sir, but I thought I saw one or two peepingover the ship's bulwarks."
"I guessed as much," said McCarthy. "You ought to think twice, sir,before you go to meet these men. You would be an easy mark for any onehiding in the forecastle; and they may think that, if they once got youout of the way, they could do anything they pleased."
"That's possible," said Captain Ranken. "But I can't help that. Thereis a chance of avoiding bloodshed, and it is my duty to go."
"Well, any way, let us take any precautions we can," urged Rolfe. "Fiveor six of us can take our rifles, and show ourselves over the top of thebarricade. They will see that if they have you at their mercy, we haveGott and Shirley and Sullivan at ours."
"You may do that, if you like," said the skipper. "There is never anyharm in showing that one is prepared."
The mate's suggestion was acted on. Half a dozen marksmen, includingthe two Dutchmen, Rivers, Margetts, Whittaker, and the mate, took theirguns, climbed on to the top of the barricade, and then stationedthemselves behind it, the muzzles of their rifles projecting frombetween the stones. Then the captain, accompanied by McCarthy, wentdown to the edge of the reef, and, hailing the three men opposite, askedwhat they had to say.
"We're very sorry," said Gott,--"sorry as you're displeased, sir. Butthe most of us don't know what we've done."
"Do you call running the ship on a reef, and then trying to plunder her,and after that attempting to murder us, nothing?"
"It was only one or two as did that; we didn't wreck the ship, or joinin the attack as was made on you, sir," said Sullivan.
"I am glad to hear it. What do you want now?"
"We want you and the others to come over here again, and we'll go backto our duty," answered Gott.
"And what about the mutineers?" asked the captain.
"There was but a few of they, and they was mostly killed in thescrimmage."
"Indeed! were Bostock and Van Ryk killed, may I ask?"
There was no answer. The skipper repeated his question, and thenShirley said sullenly, "I don't know as they was."
"Very good. Van Ryk was the man who ran the ship on the reef; MrRivers saw him do it. Bostock fired deliberately at Mr Vander Heyden;_I_ saw him do it. I don't want to inquire too closely what others mayhave done, but these two are clearly guilty. If they are put into ironsand brought over here, together with all the arms in your possession, wewill return to the ship, and when help comes, no proceedings will betaken against anybody, except the two prisoners. These are the onlyterms I shall offer you. I shall expect to receive an answer in an houror two."
The men, after exchanging a few words, sullenly withdrew. The captain,and McCarthy, who had been chosen to accompany the skipper, because themen are always unwilling to hurt the doctor, also beat a hasty retreat,and informed their companions what had passed.
"Do you think they will give in, sir?" asked Whittaker.
"No," replied the captain. "I fear Van Ryk and Bostock have too muchweight with them. Besides, sailors on these occasions are apt to sticktogether. If we don't get an answer within the hour, we must look forbroken heads."
The hour passed, and then another hour or two. The after noon slippedaway, and there was no return of the deputies. The men kept quite outof sight. But the sound of hammering and sawing and the buzz of voiceswere plainly audible.
"They are up to something, sir," said Rolfe; "making a
raft, mostlikely, by which they hope to reach the shore. They've plenty ofmaterials, and some smart hands among them. Don't you think that islikely, sir?"
"I think it very likely," answered the skipper; "only I am afraid theyare more likely to use it to make an attack on us than to reach theshore--or rather, they will attempt the latter, but only when they havecarried out the former. They won't go without the money if they canhelp it. But the first thing for us will be to ascertain what they arereally about, and we can do that, though not without some risk. Theboat is still lying off at the place where we moored her when we cameacross for the last time. If we got aboard