CHAPTER EIGHT.
CLOSE QUARTERS.
The _Good Hope_ had got well to the southward. Hitherto things had goneon smoothly, though we found our crew less inclined to submit todiscipline than we desired. Neither did Martin and Watkins pull veryamicably together.
At first we thought that the old gunner was inclined to demand morerespect from the boatswain than the latter was inclined to pay, but onenight, while I was keeping watch on deck, Martin came up to me. Helooked round to ascertain that no one was near, as if he had somethingof importance to communicate.
"Well, old friend, what has happened?" I asked.
"Nothing as yet, but something will happen, if we don't look sharp," heanswered.
"I mistrust that fellow Watkins."
"That's just what I wanted to speak to you about. It would be betterfor the discipline of the ship if you could make friends with him.Unless the officers pull together, we cannot hope to keep a crew likeours in order."
"It's not my fault that we have disputes," answered the old man; "he'salways trying to pick a quarrel with me and to bring me into disreputewith the crew. I have had my eye on him of late, and I have observedthat he is constantly going among the men when below, talking to them inthe most familiar way, endeavouring to make them think him a very finefellow, to gain them over to some plan or other he has in his head."
I questioned Martin, thinking he must have been deceived, but he waspositive that he had not.
"I will tell the captain what you say, and I'll take such precautions asare possible," I replied. "In the meantime let me know what men arelikely to hold staunch to us if your surmises should prove correct."
"I think I can find a dozen God-fearing men, who were compelled againsttheir will to serve with the Malignants. The rest are a drunken,rollicking, swearing lot, who would be ready to carry out any evil deedWatkins may propose."
"With a dozen good men and ourselves, being prepared beforehand, we maybe able to counteract any plan the boatswain has in view," I observed."Do you, Martin, secure those who you think you can trust, and I willconsult with the captain as to the precautions which may be necessary.Go below, now, and take care no one discovers that we suspect Watkins."
As soon as Dick came on deck, I told him what Martin had said, and hepromised to be on the alert; then going below, I went into Lancelot'scabin, and we held a consultation together on the subject. He at oncearrived at the conclusion that Watkins had conceived the possibility oftaking the ship from us, and, should he succeed, that he intended tojoin Prince Rupert, or make a piratical cruise on his own account.
He might hope, by hoisting the Prince's flag, to be taken for one of hissquadron, and be able to sell his prizes in a Spanish or French port, orif he could not, by running across to the West Indies to dispose of themthere. As Martin did not lead us to suppose that Watkins' plans weremature, we agreed that we might wait without apprehensions of mutiny fora day or two, or perhaps longer, until we ascertained who were the menwe could trust.
Next morning a heavy gale sprang up, and the crew had plenty of work inshortening sail and attending to their other duties, so that they hadlittle time for plotting, were they so inclined. The gale lasted threedays, the sea running mountains high, and threatening to engulph theship. During the time we marked the way the men performed their duties,and noted such as appeared the best seamen, believing that thosegenerally would prove the most trustworthy. When the storm was over theship was put on her proper course and all sail made, for we were eagerto get through the Straits to prosecute the object of our voyage.
We were now about the latitude of Cadiz. Dick Harvey was on deck, I wasseated in the cabin with Lancelot, when Martin came in under pretencethat he had been sent for to receive orders.
"I was not mistaken in my suspicions, Captain Kerridge," he said."Watkins has won over well-nigh two-thirds of the crew, and theirintention is as soon as they get inside the Straits to seize the shipand join Prince Rupert, if he is still up the Mediterranean, and if not,to follow him wherever he has gone, making prizes of all the craft theycan fall in with, to supply themselves with provisions and stores. Theyhave learned a pretty lesson from their Cavalier leaders, and it isnatural that they should desire to follow it."
"But have you found any men on whom you can rely?" asked Lancelot.
"That's just what I was going to tell you I have done," answered the oldgunner. "There are twelve I have spoken to who have promised to fightto the last, rather than let their shipmates follow such desperatecourses, and there are six others who are not likely to join themutineers when they find there is a party to oppose them. It has beenso ordered by Providence that I have discovered a young nephew of mine,who, having been seemingly won over by Watkins, is in all his secrets.When he found out who I was, he told me everything, believing that to doso was for the good of us all. I advised him not to let it be knownthat he had changed sides. He is a sharp lad, and though he has been inbad company, he has not forgotten the lessons his mother taught him, andwishes to do what is right. Thus I am kept informed of all the purposesof the mutineers, who are not likely to take us by surprise, as theyhave not yet secured any of the arms."
We settled, to prevent them from doing so, to lock up all the small armsand ammunition in one of the after cabins, without allowing the crew toknow what we had done. Lancelot then directed Martin to go forward, ashe wished not to excite suspicion by keeping him in the cabin longerthan was necessary. We at once armed ourselves, and either Martin,Lancelot, Dick, or I kept watch on deck, while we took care always tohave two trustworthy men at the helm.
Martin assured us that the mutineers had no suspicion that their designswere known. The weather had again become fine, and we ran through theStraits of Gibraltar. The moment the mutineers proposed to executetheir plan was approaching. Martin brought us word that they intendedto seize the ship at midnight, putting in irons all who refused to jointhem, and to kill us should any resistance be offered.
As soon as it was dark, we ran two of the guns called "murtherers"through the ports of the after-castle opening on the main deck, whichshould an enemy when boarding gain a footing there, are intended to rakeit.
We also loaded and placed in readiness arms for about a score of men,who we hoped would side with us, while we also barricaded all the doorswhich led to the after part of the ship.
When all was ready, Martin, going below, told the men he could trust tomuster aft.
One by one they crept up, so as not to attract the attention of therest. As they came up we put arms into their hands, and stationed themunder the after-castle. To our satisfaction we found that we had asmany as we had expected, who all swore to protect us with their livesfrom the mutineers.
Before the expected moment all our arrangements had been made. The seawas calm, a gentle breeze filled the sails, and the ship glided on,leaving a long trail of bright light astern.
Midnight came, when the captain's voice was heard, summoning all handson deck to shorten sail. The crew, supposing that the ship was about tobe struck by one of those white squalls which sometimes come on withfearful suddenness in the Mediterranean and lay over many a stout ship,hurried up from below, and instinctively sprang aloft. The boatswainhaving remained on deck, Dick and I, with two men we called to our aid,rushed forward, and seizing him dragged him aft.
This being done, the captain shouted--
"The squall will not strike us, lads; let fall the canvas and haul aftthe sheets."
The crew, ignorant of what had occurred, obeyed, and were then orderedon deck. There they stood waiting for the signal the boatswain was togive them to set on us. There were three other ringleaders. Thecaptain called two of them aft by name to take the helm. They camewithout hesitation, supposing that it would afford them a betteropportunity for carrying out their plan. Instantly they were seized andplaced in irons, the darkness greatly favouring our proceedings, as therest of the crew could not see what was taking place. The third man,f
ortunately for us, coming aft was recognised by Martin, who, seizinghim, we had him in limbo before he could be rescued.
The crew not finding the signal they expected given, crowded together,calling to their ringleaders and to each other.
Some among them now suspecting what had occurred, cried out that theywere betrayed, and summoning the rest to the rescue, they advancedtowards the place where their companions were confined.
On they came, armed with handspikes, belaying pins, boat stretchers,knives and axes, the only weapons they could procure, with threateninggestures, well able, it seemed, to overwhelm us.
"Stay where you are," shouted Lancelot; "the guns are loaded. If youadvance a step further we fire. You know the consequences."
The mutineers, well aware that the guns would sweep the decks and hurlthem in a moment into eternity, stopped short. Not one of them venturedto utter a word.
"My lads," continued their young captain, "you have been deceived byartful men, who would have led you to your destruction. I have nodesire to injure one of you, and will overlook your conduct if youreturn to your duty. You engaged with me and my friends for a worthycause, to search for some helpless ladies and an old man who areperchance held in bondage by the enemies of our country. We trusted toyou as honest Englishmen to fulfil your engagements. Let it not be saidthat you turned renegades to a noble cause. Some of you have sistersand parents for whom you would be ready to fight. Are you then actinglike brave men by turning against your officers? I will not believethat you are so base and worthless. Now, lads, let me see who willstand by us. Those who would keep to their pledges come over tostarboard, while the rest stand on the larboard side."
For a short time the men hesitated, then first one, then another, andfinally the whole body came over to the starboard side.
"I thought it would be so!" exclaimed the captain. "Thank you, lads. Iintend to trust you; and if we meet an enemy, I am sure you will provethat you are true British seamen."
The crew gave a hearty cheer in reply, and that cheer must have provedto the leaders of the mutiny that their influence over the men was lost.
To prevent them committing further mischief, we kept them in irons,intending to deliver them over to the first English ship of war weshould meet.
Next morning, from the way the men behaved, and the quietness whichprevailed, no one would have supposed that a fearful conflict had beenimminent the previous night. They, indeed, went about their regularduties with more than usual alacrity. We let them see, however, that wewere prepared, should they be inclined for mischief.
Our intention was to visit Sardinia, Majorca, Minorca, and other islandsin that direction, then to run down the coast of Italy and Sicily, andafterwards steer for the Levant, making inquiries at all places and ofall the vessels we met for the missing _Hector_. We were many weeksthus employed, often being delayed by calms and kept long in port whileprosecuting our inquiries.
When off Elba we sighted several ships showing English colours. We randown to them, and found that they formed part of a squadron underCommodore Bodley. Heaving to, we lowered a boat, and I took MasterWatkins with the three other prisoners on board the commodore's ship,telling him of the trick they wished to play us.
"They'll not attempt a like one again," answered the commodore. "Weshall probably engage with the enemy before long, and they will thenhave an opportunity of retrieving their characters."
As the calm came on, I was able to visit each ship and make inquiriesfor the _Hector_; but no tidings could I gain of her.
It would occupy too much space were I to describe the places we visited,and all the adventures we met with.
We lay for several days in the beautiful Bay of Naples to refit, andthen stood across for Sicily, where we saw Mount Etna casting up fireand smoke, and afterwards coming off the island of Stromboli, we werewell-nigh overwhelmed by the showers of ashes which fell on our deck,making the men believe that we were about to be overwhelmed, or that theday of judgment had come. Fellows who had never before prayed, felldown on their knees and cried for mercy.
A breeze springing up, we got once more under the blue sky, and theyquickly forgot their fears. Hitherto we had been sadly disappointed.Had the _Hector_ touched at any of the ports we had visited she wouldhave been remembered, as she was, as Watkins had described her, a stoutship of peculiar build. We should have regretted losing him, as hemight have been able to identify her, had not two of the men whoremained served on board her, and they declared that should they seteyes on the old _Hector_ they should know her among a hundred suchcraft. We resolved, at all events, to continue our search as long as wehad the means of procuring provisions and stores. We had no smalldifficulty, however, in keeping our unruly crew in order; accustomed asmost of them had been to the corsair life, they longed for theexcitement of the battle and chase, and murmured at the peaceable workin which we were engaged. We promised them, therefore, that they shouldhave fighting enough should we fall in with an enemy to our country, andof such England had many by this time, Dutch, French and Spaniards,though the Italian princes and Portuguese wisely wished to keep onfriendly terms.
We had got some distance to the eastward of Malta, when a calm came on,and we lay with our canvas flapping against the masts, the sea shininglike glass, and not a cloud overhead to dim the blue heavens or toshield our heads from the rays of the burning sun. The crew lay aboutthe decks overcome by the heat, and grumbling at the idle life to whichthey were doomed. The red sun went down, and the pale moon rose,casting a silvery light over the slumbering ocean. Not a ripple brokethe mirror-like surface of the deep.
"We must give these fellows something to do, or they'll be brewingmischief," observed Lancelot, as we listened to the growling tones whichcame from forward.
"Unless we turn corsairs, or fall in with a Hollander or a Don, I do notsee what we can give them to do," answered Dick.
"The chances are we shall not have long to wait, or we may encounter astorm. That will give them some occupation, especially if it carriesaway some of our spars," I observed, laughing.
We were in truth put to our wits' end to keep our men in good temper.Again the sun rose, and from the appearance of the sky there appearedevery probability that the calm would continue. We immediately set themen to work with paint brushes and tar brushes, made them scrub thedecks, and black down the rigging. We then exercised them at the guns.They were thus employed when, looking to the southward, I caught sightof a white sail rising above the horizon.
"She can't move without wind, and if so, she'll be bringing up abreeze," observed Dick. "We shall soon be throwing the spray over ourbows as we make way again through the water."
Still the ship lay as immovable as before, her masts and spars, herblack rigging, her white sails and shining hull reflected on theglass-like surface; at the same time the stranger got closer and closer,and now her topsails appeared, next her courses.
"She's a big craft, that; twice the size of the _Good Hope_, I opine,"observed Martin. "If she's a friend, she may bring us news, but ifshe's an enemy we shall have to up stick and run for it."
"Not until we see how many teeth she carries," said the captain, whooverheard the remark. "Big as she is, the _Good Hope_ may be able totackle her."
While we were speaking, our loftier canvas began to swell and flutter,then the topsails and courses napped against the masts, and cat's-pawsran playfully over the water. Presently ripples were seen on all sides,and every sail swelled out. The ship gathered way, but instead ofkeeping before the wind, the captain ordered the maintopsail to bebacked, and we lay to waiting for the stranger, while our white flagwith a red-cross was run up to the peak. Hardly had it blown out thanthe approaching ship showed her colours, and the design of a crescentmoon proved that she was Turkish, or belonged to Tunis, Tripoli, or someother of the Barbary States.
"My lads," cried Lancelot, "we shall probably have to fight yonder shipif she proves what I suppose her to be. If we capture her
we shallobtain a rich prize. If she takes us, we shall have our throats cut, orbe carried into slavery."
"We will fight her, and beat her," cried the men, and they gaveutterance to a loud cheer.
"Brace round the main-yard, then," cried the captain, and the ship stoodon close-hauled, ready to tack, so that if possible we might gain theweather-gauge. The stranger seeing this altered her course, in order toprevent our doing what we proposed. At length, finding that we couldnot gain the advantage we wished, we ran under her lee, and Lancelot ina loud tone ordered her to strike to the Commonwealth of England.
As a haughty refusal was the answer, we opened fire, hoping to knockaway a mast or some of her spars, and thus be able to gain the positionwe desired; but the corsair, for such the stranger undoubtedly was,replied with a broadside of upwards of twenty guns, the shot from whichpassing between our masts, did no further damage than cutting away someof our running rigging.
We now stood on yard-arm to yard-arm, firing our guns as rapidly as theycould be run in and loaded. Our enemies meantime were not idle, andtheir shot came crashing pretty thickly on board. Two of our men werekilled and others wounded. But we judged that we were committing moredamage than we received. Many of our shots went through and through thecorsair's sides, others swept her decks and killed several of her crew.Still, from her superior size and greater number of guns, it wasprobable before we could take her that she might so seriously damage ourlittle frigate that we might be prevented from prosecuting our object.
Notwithstanding this, Lancelot had no idea of retreating from the fight,and it only made him more anxious to gain a speedy victory. It was soonseen that the corsair was suffering the most in her hull, though hermasts and spars had hitherto escaped. On the other hand, we had lostour fore-topmast, and shortly afterwards our fore-yard came down by therun on deck, killing two of our men. Still these disasters did notinduce us to relax our efforts.
Our crew, now that they were put on their mettle, showed that they weresturdy Englishmen, and as our shot went crashing through the side of ourbig opponent they cheered again and again, believing that she would soonbe compelled to strike.
Lancelot stood on the after-castle, watching every movement of theenemy. At last his voice shouted, "Boarders! be prepared to repelboarders!" and as he spoke the big ship was seen bearing down, evidentlyintending to run alongside. Our men had hangers and pistols in theirbelts. Those not required to work the guns seized the boarding pikesand stood ready to spring to that part of the ship's side where theenemy might board us.
The corsair glided up, and her bow striking ours, she hooked on to ourfore-chains. The next instant a countless number of swarthy figureswith turbaned heads, bright scymitars flashing in their hands, swarmedin the rigging of the corsair and came leaping down on our deck. Led byLancelot, Dick and I fighting by his side, we met them with hanger,pike, and pistol, driving them back over the bulwarks, or cleaving themfrom head to chine as they got within reach of our swords.
Those who were about to follow, seeing the rate of the first, held back,and the next moment the ships separated. Ere they did so their sideswere brought close to each other, and I saw a man make a tremendousspring from that of the enemy and grip hold of our bulwarks, to which heclung desperately, crying out--
"I am an Englishman; save me, save me!" Several shots were fired at himby the corsairs; but he escaped, and some of our men rushing to hisrescue hauled him on board.
"To the guns, to the guns!" shouted Lancelot, and we again began to workour artillery with the same rapidity as before.