CHAPTER 24
Barely were the last spadefuls of sand packed down into ZacharyHeigh's grave when Amos, who had wandered to the beach facing the seaand long outer shoreline, sang out: "Ship ahoy!"
Remembering their orders the men rushed over from the cove butremained hidden behind trees or shrubs. Chris and Amos climbed a treefrom whose branches they had a fine unobstructed view up and down thecoast. To the left, far distant, a point of land jutted out into thesea, tropical trees carrying their green out in a long curve. To theright, just appearing from the direction in which they themselves hadcome a few hours previously, came a majestic ship black from stem tostern. Black was its hull, but black too were its sails. It lookedexceedingly ominous on the afternoon blue of the sea, and as it camealmost level with the channel to the cove, its sails were lowered andthe watchers on shore could hear the splash of the anchor as it washeaved overboard.
Then Ned Cilley, oldest of the _Mirabelle's_ sailors, came panting upfrom the cove and Zachary's grave to look out from the leaves at thebase of the boys' tree.
"Oh, Lordy, Lordy!" he exclaimed when he caught sight of the blackship, the last of her somber sails being taken in, "what did I tellyou, lads?" he cried, addressing anyone and everyone near enough tohear him. "That be the _Black Vulture_, the pirate ship. No vessel issafe near the _Black Vulture_! What a God's mercy that all of us, andthe _Mirabelle_, are out of sight, for the men aboard the _Vulture_know no pity, lads!"
Growls and murmurs rumbled along the shore from clump to clump ofleaves where the men stood hidden. Chris pulled his spyglass from hispocket and looked eagerly at the pirate ship only a little way outfrom shore.
It looked familiar, although Chris had had time to see so few ships hecould not be certain. He shifted the glass, looking at details hereand there, and at the name in gold carved letters against theblack-painted side. _Vulture_. The letters stood out neat and clearand then Chris's heart stopped and started again.
"Ned!" he called down softly, for sound carries far and clearly overwater, as every sailor knows, "Ned, don't most ships just paint thename on the side?"
"Aye lad, that they do," Ned replied in a puzzled tone, looking upthrough the leaves at the two boys.
"Then isn't it unusual to have letters carved of wood and gilded, onthe side of a ship?" Chris persisted.
"Aye, that it be." Ned's puzzled tone was sharper now and he looked upat Chris and then out to the pirate vessel. "What're ye aimin' at now,me lad, eh?" Ned asked. "What's in your mind?"
"Just tell me what ships you know whose name is not painted on butset in carved letters, Ned," Chris said, and he lowered his glass andlooked down.
Their conversation, in the silence, had had some quality of excitementin it that had been caught by the others, for when Chris glanced downhe saw half the ship's company knotted around the base of the tree,and a half-circle of faces turned up to his, along with Ned's.
Ned's face puckered with effort for a few moments, as he muttered:"Let me see, now. There's the _Southerner_--no, that's painted on, orthe _Priscilla Drew_--no; that's painted too." He turned, searchingthe faces of his friends. "Come, boys, what ship has carved lettersfor her name, not painted ones? Where's a better memory nor mine?"
The Captain and Mr. Finney came to join the crowd, standing back inthe shadow of the palm grove. Both men were listening attentively. Itwas Bowie who finally spoke up slowly, as if unwillingly.
"There's only one ship that ever I did see with carven letters on herside, and that was Chew's ship, the _Venture_."
He was surrounded at once by a low murmur of assent from all sides."Aye aye!" "That be so!" "'Tis so!" Chris from his higher perch,pointed an accusing finger out to sea.
"Look then, for there's your same ship! The _Venture_ and the_Vulture_ are one and the same! Here--take my glass," he cried handingit down. "See the two second letters--they are just a bit aslant.Weeks ago, at home, I thought it seemed strange that the _E_ and the_N_ looked loose. But loose they are! Once at sea they'rechanged--bolted in, maybe, I don't know how--and there's your merchantship at home and pirate ship at sea!"
The men turned, wonderingly but angrily too, for the remembrance ofwhat Zachary Heigh had tried to do, and so nearly succeeded in,rankled, and they now began to understand many things. Voices began torise dangerously high in the growing ill-feeling.
"Ah--the dirty dog--"
"_And_ his friend with the airs!"
"Have we then been harboring the like of him at home?"
"Aye--to let him go free to scuttle the next fine ship, take all hercargo, and leave her valiant men to drown!"
The Captain came forward, his hands upraised. "How-now, men, be still!We are here to see what may take place, but if your voices shouldcarry, as well they may, over the water, we should have little chanceof it. Do you be still and watchful."
A low cry came from Amos, who had not taken his eyes from the sea.
"Look! Around the point! Here comes another ship--looks like that waswhat the ol' blackbird was a-waiting for!"
Sure enough, as the fine white sails of a good-sized vessel made itsway around the point of land, distant shouts and confusion could beheard on the _Vulture_. Looking through his glass, which he lent toAmos every few moments, Chris could make out scurrying figures on thedeck of the pirate ship, men springing up the rigging and otherswalking up the anchor as quickly as they could. On the bridge Chriscould see the tall gaunt height of Claggett Chew. The humpbackedfigure of Simon Gosler stood rubbing his hands, at one side of hismaster, while on the other, observing the work of the sailors with asupercilious air, leaned a familiar and ridiculous figure. Dressed asif for a court ball at Versailles and holding his lorgnette a fewinches from his nose, Osterbridge Hawsey remained elegantly aloof fromanything so degrading as hard work. He looked on with a superior smileas the black sails were unfurled, the anchor was heaved dripping fromits bed, and the hard-pressed dirty crew made all speed to go inadvance of the oncoming ship. Still others among the pirates could beplainly seen manning the guns that had already been brought out fromtheir hiding places, while still more stood by to furnish theircomrades with cannon balls and powder. Amos became so excited heleaned too far forward, and, nothing learned from his nightlydifficulties with his hammock, fell out of the tree onto the heads andshoulders of the men below, causing astonishment and swallowedlaughter before he was hoisted back up again.
"Bless my cap and buttons!" Ned Cilley cried, "there's to be a fightfor sartin. I can see the flash of light on the swords and axes!"
Quicker than it would take to tell, the _Vulture_, black sails spread,moved forward to head off the merchantman evidently homeward boundfrom China.
The pirate ship sailed down the coast, turned, and forced the oncomingvessel to stop. Then, as well as the watchers could guess, a parleyensued, but if the pirates thought the prey would be an easy one theywere mistaken, for the merchantman came forward suddenly, all sailsset, in an effort to ram the _Vulture_. But the rich cargo vessel washopelessly at a disadvantage. The pirate guns opened fire, ropes werethrown over to the peaceful ship, and with yells of triumph thatcarried even above the tumult of the fighting, the pirate crew leapton board. Tiny figures could be seen falling into the water from themerchantman, and in a bitter hour or so the sound of fighting died outaltogether.
The men watching from the shore had been kept there only by theobedience the Captain was able to extract from them, for rage was inthe heart of every man at the sight they were forced to see, but werepowerless to prevent. Even among such hard-bitten old salts as theyall were, more than one could be seen mumbling a prayer for theunfortunate men who had put up such a gallant fight.
"Come, lads," Captain Blizzard said to them at last. "We have seenwhat we had to see, and many is the witness now against Claggett Chewand all his company!"
"Aye! Aye! That we are! We'll bear witness to such villainy--theyshould all hang for it!" the voices cried.
"Then let us go back to our own ship, for the d
readed _Vulture_ is notyet gone, and unarmed as we too are, what chance have we againstcannon balls and armed men?"
The men turned about and trouped back to the dinghies, while CaptainBlizzard stayed behind a moment to speak to Chris.
"My boy," he said, his hand on Chris's shoulder, as in front of themin the late afternoon light the men of the _Mirabelle_ made their wayback to the ship, "'tis my advice you had best return with us now, oryou might be missed by one or another of the men, and they have muchtime to think. You shall do what has been set for you to do--we shallstay here another day to take on water and fresh fruits."
He looked smilingly down at Chris but his eyes were concerned. "Itwill not be a moment too soon for me until I see you safe and sound onboard again, my lad," he said, "for I like you well and would have nosmallest harm come to you."
Together they went down to the beach and the waiting dinghy. Chrisdared not look at the sky above them for he knew night was darkeningit, and with the night he must leave.