STORY ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.
'POLLO'S REPORT.
Oakum was not a man to shout for help, but to act, and act he did on theinstant by turning sharply round, and seizing his assailant by thethroat. He lowered his hands, though, in a moment, for a thick voicewhispered--
"Don't make 'tupid bobbery, Mass' Sam Oakum, sah, or you wake de odergentlemen."
"What's up, 'Pollo?" said Oakum, in the same low tone, for he was awakenow to the fact that something was wrong. "Injins?"
"No, sah, I tink not; but you come out here, sah, where de odergentleman not hear, and I tell you."
Oakum squabbled with 'Pollo every day, but they were very old shipmates,and the rough sailor had the most abundant confidence in the black, sohe drew on his trousers, and cautiously followed him to the foot of thesteps, where 'Pollo sat down, and Oakum knelt by his side.
"Now, then, what's up?" growled Oakum.
"I tell you, sah, reckly, but first must 'fess somefin to you."
"Go ahead then, my hearty," was the reply.
"Well, sah, while I busy all de mornin' in my galley, I see de beaufullump of silber brought up ober and ober again, and I see Mass' Jone andnoder sailor busy knock off de shell and tuff, and frow him all of aheap."
"Yes, and there it lies now on deck," said Sam, "instead of being shyedoverboard. What o' that?"
"Well, sah, no able to sleep 'cause of dat, and so I get out of myhammock and creep all soft like on deck."
"What, did you get some of the bits o' shell in your blanket."
"No, sah, no," chuckled 'Pollo. "You know me, Mass' Sam Oakum, sah, weberry ole friend, and go froo deal ob trouble togedder."
"Well, yes, 'Pollo, old man, we have had a hardship or two, but what o'that?"
"Why, sah, I 'fess eberything to you, sah, and tell you all."
"Heave ahead, then."
"Well, sah, I no tink it berry wrong, sah, cause there such a debble oba lot ob silber, but while I watch Mass' Jone and de sailor chip, chip,chip at de shell to knock 'em off I see dem knock little bit ob silbertoo some time, and one time dey fro lump of shell down. I quite suregot big piece of silber inside."
"And you've been up on deck to get hold of it, eh?"
"Yes, Mass' Oakum, sah, dat's him."
"Hand over, and let's feel the weight on it, 'Pollo, old man, only youneedn't do that, my lad. We found the spot for the govnors, and they'llcome down hansome."
"Yes, Mass' Oakum, sah, but I tink it great pity waste anyting, eben bitob fat, so no like see bit ob silber fro overboard."
"Where's the stuff; 'Pollo?"
"I no got um, sah, dat's why I came to ask you."
"But is it so heavy as all that, 'Pollo?"
"No, sah, you no understand. I come on deck, find de silber, and I findsometing else."
"What's that?" said Oakum sleepily.
"I find piece ob de crew, sah, all sit togedder in a corner, hatchin'mutiny."
"What?" exclaimed Oakum, whom these words galvanised into an excitedstate.
"Hatch de mutiny, sah."
"I've good as expected as much," exclaimed Oakum, giving his leg a slap."Heave out, and let's rouse the skipper. The beggars mean treachery."
"We better go softly then, Mass' Oakum, sah, or we get knife in deribs."
"Right, 'Pollo," said Oakum; "let's investigate first and see."
Creeping softly up the ladder he just raised his head above the coamingsof the hatchway, and peered cautiously round, but seeing nothing he drewhimself the whole way out, and lay down on deck, 'Pollo following him onthe instant.
"Well?" whispered Oakum, "what's their bearings?"
'Pollo, for answer, crawled away into the darkness, and returned at theend of a couple of minutes to announce that they were all gone.
"Look here, Master 'Pollo," growled Oakum in a whisper; "if you've wokeme out of a fine sleep to humbug me, you and I will have a row."
"I quite suah, sah, dat free sailor fellow set under de bulwark, sah,hatch mutiny."
"Come and have a look round," said the old fellow, and together theywent softly to the man who had the watch forward, to find that he hadheard nothing, though a sharper investigator than Oakum would have cometo the conclusion that the fellow had been fast asleep.
A similar result followed the journey aft, when with a growl Oakumwalked straight back to the hatchway, where he turned round.
"Lookye here, 'Pollo, old man, you get to your hammock and have a goodnight's rest, or you'll be rolling into the fire fast asleep to-morrow,and burning those beautiful curls of yourn. And lookye here, too, mylad, you leave that there silver rubbish alone, and trust to what theskippers and the govnors give you for reward. Good-night."
"Dah!" cried 'Pollo, sulkily, "I don't care who come and take de shipnow. I no say word about more. Only get laugh at;" and mutteringvolubly to himself, he crept back to his hammock, and the next minute hewas lying fast asleep with his mouth open.
The morning broke bright and beautiful, with the golden sunshineglinting through the tall columns of the palm-trees ashore, and lightingup the dark vistas of the jungle in the most wonderful manner; but thethoughts of all on board were directed not to the golden sunshine, savethat it was available for the manner in which it lit up the depths ofthe clear sea; and all that day in steady turns Dutch, Mr Parkley, andRasp went down, working away clearing out the sand, and sending up theiron buckets laden with silver.
Careful probing with the iron rod had shown them that the space in whichthe treasure lay was not great, only spread over a portion of the lowerpart of the old galleon of about twelve feet by sixteen; everywhere elsethe rod would penetrate to any depth, save where it came in contact withthe old hardened ribs of the ship, or portions of its keel, and theygave forth to the touch such unmistakable signs of what the opposingmaterial was that the adventurers were quite content.
A receptacle had been prepared for the treasure in the hold, and the wayto this was down the cabin stairs, strong bulkheads cutting this offfrom the other portions of the vessel; and down here continuously, afterthe shelly concretions, where they existed, had been knocked off, wascarried bucket after bucket of ingots, which Mr Jones and Oakum stackedas regularly as they would lie, while the captain superintended and keptwatch on deck.
The men worked admirably: their wonder at the richness of the findpassing away as the silver became common to their sight, for it was shotout of the buckets on to the deck, hammered even, and thrown about as ifit was so much stone.
There were two or three alarms of sharks, but an occasional cartridgefired under water at a distance from the ship had the desired effect ofscaring the monsters away.
Rasp worked even harder than Dutch, giving as his reason that they oughtto make hay while the sun shone; and certainly he made a goodly additionto the silver stack, while Mr Parkley was not far behind his partner.The doctor, Mr Wilson, and even John Studwick helped, by cleaning theingots as they were raised by the sailors in the buckets, and emptiedout on deck, while Bessy Studwick, Hester, and 'Pollo aided by beingalways ready with refreshments as they were needed, and besides kept alookout.
For it was determined to make the best use they could of the daylight,and consequently their meals were snatched in the little intervals ofwork. Even the men forbore to grumble at being kept without theirregular food, for there was a novelty in their task.
The sand caused a great deal of trouble to the divers, but this wassteadily mastered, and when at sunset the task was set aside for thenight, and, wearied out, the adventurers sat down to the repast 'Pollohad prepared and the steward set out, the question was asked in awhisper, what was the value of the treasure recovered. Mr Parkley, whohad been below, could only say--
"Many thousands."