CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
UNEXPECTED ALLIES.
"Here, hi! Look-out, lads! Where's our orficer?"
These words greeted Mark Vandean as, after a few struggles, his headshot up from the black water into the bright moonlight, and, giving it agood shake, he struck out for the boat.
The cold plunge had braced him up, clearing away the brain mists causedby exhaustion in the fight; and now once more he was himself, ready tosave his own life, and think, as an officer should, about his men. Ofcourse his first thoughts ought to have been about saving his men, andself afterwards; but he followed the natural instinct, and strove toreach the boat.
"Here I am," he shouted, as soon as he could get his breath; "shove outan oar."
Tom Fillot had already caught sight of his wet face shining in themoonlight, and thrusting an oar over the stern, began to paddle to turnthe boat, but was checked directly by the painter, which he had madefast to the chains when they boarded the schooner.
To have stopped to unfasten it would have meant too much loss of time,so throwing himself on his chest, he reached out as far as he could withthe oar toward Mark, who had been borne down from where he was plungedin at the bows toward the boat.
"Lay hold, sir!" cried Tom, excitedly.
"Yah! Cowards! Look-out!" was yelled behind Tom; the boat received aviolent jerk as Dick Bannock gave it a thrust right away from theschooner, and simultaneously the men were deluged with water by atremendous splash close to their side. Then a big wave rose and lappedover into the boat, striking Mark just as his fingers touched the tip ofthe oar blade, and the next moment he was swept on by the tide up theriver.
"All right, sir!" cried Tom Fillot, loudly; "swim steady. We'll haveyou directly. You, Dick Bannock, cut that painter. Now, then: oars!"
He dropped down into a seat, and pulled a big stroke to send the boat'shead round.
"Here, help me aboard, mate," cried a voice.
"And me, messmet," cried another, the two speakers holding on by theside which they had reached after being thrown from the schooner.
"No, no, hold on, mates," cried Tom. "Let's get Mr Vandean first.What was that 'ere?"
"Pig o' ballast they chucked over to stave the bottom," growled DickBannock, beginning to row. "If I hadn't shoved her off, they'd ha' sunkus."
"We'll sink them yet," growled Tom Fillot. "Coming, Mr Van, sir.We'll have you directly. Easy, mates," he cried, throwing in his oar,and leaning over again toward where Mark was swimming steadily facingthe tide, but letting himself drift, content to keep afloat.
"Can you reach him, mate?" growled Dick.
"Not quite; pull your oar," cried Tom. "That's right. Hooray! Gothim!"
This last was given with a yell of triumph, as he made a snatch atMark's wrist, caught it firmly, and hauled the dripping lad over intothe boat.
"Thankye," said Mark, panting. "I'm all right. Now then, help thesetwo fellows in.--Well done!"
He said this breathlessly as he stood up and gave himself a shake, andthen as the two men who had held on went to their places, he resumed hisseat and looked round.
"Who's missing?" he cried.
"All here, sir, 'cept poor Joe Dance. I ain't seen him."
"Ain't looked," said a faint voice from under the men's legs. "Theychucked me over, and I'm afeard I've squashed poor Mr Russell, for Icome right down upon him."
"Then nobody's missing," cried Mark, joyously. "Look here, my lads;oars out--pull! pull!"
The men obeyed as vigorously as they could, rowing back toward theschooner, but slowly, for the tide was running sharply still, and thefight was hard.
"What yer going to do, sir?" said Tom Fillot, in a low tone.
"Do?" cried Mark, excitedly, for his blood was regularly up; "why, haveanother try, of course."
"Well done us!" said Dick Bannock, thickly. "I'm ready. We ain'tbeat."
"No good, sir," growled Tom Fillot, in a low, deep voice. "We ain'tbeat, but we can't do it, sir, for want o' strength."
"What?" cried Mark, who was determined upon his mad project--mad now inthe face of so many difficulties. "There isn't a man here who will notfollow me, and I'm sure you won't turn tail, Tom Fillot."
"Not me, sir," said the man; "you're orficer, and where you goes Ifollows. It's hard lines to let go of a prize like that. Lay her closealongside, sir?"
"Yes, of course," cried Mark, standing up as they began to near theschooner once more. "Why, there's something the matter on board--they're fighting--they're killing the blacks. Here, pull, men, pull.Quick! Don't you see? The blacks have got loose, and are fighting fortheir liberty; pull!"
The men forgot their pains and weakness once more as a fierce yelling,shouting, and shrieking arose from the deck of the schooner. Then shotswere fired, and as the boat approached, now unobserved, they could seethat the crew were driving back quite a little crowd of naked blacks,who seemed helpless before the attack of the armed men, but still intheir desperation they gave way slowly, uttering fierce cries of rageand despair.
It was all plain in the bright moonlight which flooded the scene, andMark could see the slaver captain making a rush here and a rush there,and at each effort he struck down some poor wretch with a heavy bludgeonhe wielded with terrible force.
Then, as the boat glided in close under the stern, all this was shutout, but the noise increased.
"Now, my lads!" whispered Mark, "we shall take 'em between two fires.As soon as the blacks see us come they'll fight like fury, and we shallwin. Do you see, Tom Fillot?"
"See, sir? yes. It's all right. We'll have 'em yet. I'll make fast tothe main chains, and then up we go. But don't give the word till I'mready, sir. I can fight now."
The preparations took almost less time than the talking, and then,freshly nerved by the exciting scene on deck, Mark Vandean and his menclimbed on board to collect for a rush, just as the blacks were making adesperate stand. There in the front were two of the stoutest armed withcapstan bars, and as the crew of the boat were about to dash forward,these two blacks yelled together and charged at the schooner's men,striking out so savagely that two of their adversaries went down, andthe next they attacked shrank back.
"Stand aside!" roared the slaver skipper, raising a pistol, but it wasnot fired, for as the two blacks whirled their bars about and fought on,Mark gave a cheer, his men followed suit, and, taking the schooner'screw in the rear, they were scattered at the first charge.
What followed was a series of furious, short hand-to-hand conflicts, menbeing driven in among the blacks, who came on now wild with excitement.They seized their enemies and, in spite of their struggles, hurled themoverboard to swim for the shore, till only the skipper was left, and hewas being hunted from place of vantage to place of vantage, till he madea dash and ran down into the cabin. But the biggest of the blacks, oneof the two armed with capstan bars, rushed down after him, followed byhis brave companion, and the next minute there was the sound of aplunge, evidently from the cabin window.
Mark and Tom Fillot rushed to the stern together, and looked over.
"Have they killed him?" said the midshipman, hoarsely.
"No, sir; he's swimming like a seal--the warmint. He'll reach theshore. But hadn't you better get us together, sir? The niggers mayhave a turn at us now. P'r'aps they don't know we're friends."
"Oh yes they do, Tom; they must have seen how we fought for them." Butall the same the lad gave a long piercing whistle, and his men clusteredabout him, ready for the blacks, who were now coming aft in a body.
"It means another fight, sir," whispered Tom. "Can't anybody say innigger lingo as we're friends?"
"Yes, friends; all friends," cried a harsh voice, as the great,perfectly nude, black sprang up out of the hatchway, and threw down hisheavy wooden bar, an example followed by the other, while, as the moonnow shone full upon their convulsed and excited faces, Tom Fillot burstinto a roar of laughter, rushed forward, and slapped first one and thenthe other on t
he bare shoulder, yelling out,--
"Here's a game, mates; why, it's old Soup and Taters. Why, myblack-mugged messmates, we thought you was both on you drowned. What'sbecome of your _tog-a-ree_?"
The blacks' faces relaxed into a broad smile, as, led by Mark, the mencrowded round to shake hands warmly, while the crowd of slaves set up apeculiar cry, and danced about them, waving their arms, ending by goingdown upon their knees about Mark and laying their foreheads on the deck,while the women in the background set up a strangely wild wail.
"Then you two escaped," cried Mark, as soon as the excitement hadsubsided a little; and the big black tried to explain, but could onlyget out the words, "All right, messmate," and then spoke volubly in hisown tongue.
"Never mind, sir; they did get off," cried Tom Fillot. "They must havebeen chucked below along with the rest, and then kep' prisoners."
"And a good job for us, Tom," said Mark.
"Ay, ay, sir, and no mistake, for we couldn't have took the schooneragain without them."
"There, silence!" cried Mark. "These men must keep the blacks in order,while you, my lads, get the arms together. We must have a strong watchkept. The scoundrels may try to retake the schooner."
"They'd better, sir," growled Tom, who was in the act of restoring hiscutlass to its sheath. "I didn't use this," he muttered, "but if theycame again I'm sorry for the chap as hits at me."
The watch was set, and when Mark could extricate himself from the crowdof blacks who pressed about him, he looked round for Soup and Taters,even going so far as to ask for them, rather unwillingly, by thesenames, but they were missing.
He forgot all about them directly in the business and excitement whichfollowed, for there was much to be done. One of his first tasks was tohave the schooner's boat run up to the davits, and Mr Russell carefullylifted out, and borne down into the Yankee skipper's comfortable cabin.Then he found out more and more how multitudinous are the demands madeupon an officer. In this case he had to play the part of surgeon aswell, for many of the blacks were, like his own men, suffering fromcontusions, though fortunately no one seemed to be seriously injured;and the brilliant moonlight was a great aid in his endeavour to restoresomething like order on board.
"I want those two fellows," cried Mark at last, angrily; "they could beof so much use in managing the blacks."
"Here they are, sir," cried one of the men. "They've been below."
"What have they been doing below--getting at the provisions?"
He asked no more, for at that moment the two men came forward, smiling,in their neat white man-o'-war garments, which had been confiscated bythe slaver captain when he turned them below into the hold with the restof the blacks, little thinking that by this act he was contriving themeans of restoring them all to liberty.
"Hah! that's better!" cried Mark smiling. "Now then see to these poorcreatures. I'm going to serve out something for them to eat and drink."
With the help of a little pantomime he made them readily understand, andthey went forward to the blacks, who at once sat down quietly on thedeck and waited.
At the words eating and drinking, Tom Fillot had gone below, and by thetime his officer was ready to show the way to the stores, biscuit andwater were being served out and eagerly attacked by all.
"And now I think it's our turn," said Mark, who had become conscious ofa peculiar sensation of faintness.
"I've put something ready for you in the cabin, sir," whispered TomFillot.
But Mark was too sensible of his responsibility to go below to eat andrest, and his refreshment consisted of the same food as was partaken ofby the rest--to wit, biscuit moistened with water.
For there was the watch to visit, the tide to be examined for the hourof its change, and a score of other little matters to attend to, inaddition to noting Mr Russell's condition from to time.
"How soon will it be high water?" asked Mark at last, after wearilywatching the constant flow.
"Must be soon, sir," said Tom Fillot, who seemed to have dropped intothe position of first lieutenant. "Beg pardon, sir, you mean to sailwith the ebb?"
"Certainly. We must not stay here. That scoundrel may return withhelp."
"You're right, sir. Sooner we're out at sea the better I shall likeit."
"Exactly. I want the men to go below and have a good rest. Poor lads!they have been slaves."
"To save slaves, sir; but beg pardon, sir; you won' be offended?"
"Offended? No, Tom Fillot; you've been too good a friend," cried themidshipman, eagerly. "What were you going to say?"
"Only this, sir. What we're most feared of is the Yankee skipper comingback!"
"Of course."
"Then why not strengthen the watch, sir?"
"How? I wish I could."
"Oh, I'll soon show you how, sir. You get Soup and Taters, and make 'emunderstand what you want, and it will be all right."
"But what do I want, Tom?"
"I'll show you, sir, and I think you can make 'em understand. Tell 'emto pick out half-a-dozen of the strongest young blacks, and we'll give'em a cutlash and a belt apiece, and set 'em to keep guard by theschooner's side."
"But would it be safe, Tom?" cried Mark eagerly.
"Not very, sir, for the skipper and his men. Soup'll explain it to 'em,and once they know, you see if they don't do all that dooty splendid,and leave us free to navigate the schooner."
"Navigate the schooner, Tom?" said Mark, rather dolefully, as he thoughtof his shortcomings in that direction.
"Oh, it'll be easy enough, sir. All we've got to do is to sail doonorth and hug the shore. We can't go wrong."
Soup and Taters were summoned, and grasped the idea readily enough, withthe result that in a very short time they had under their command six ofthe blacks keeping watch and ward against surprise, leaving the wearycrew opportunity for getting up the anchor when the tide turned. Then asail was hoisted for steering purposes, and the men gave a hearty cheeras they began to drop down the river with their prize.
"Lor', mates!" said Dick Bannock, "who'd ha' thought of our getting ofher after all. Shows as it never does to say die. `Persewere,' saysyou, `and never mind the difficoolties.' What yer larfin' for, TomFillot? Don't I say what's true?"
"I warn't laughing at you, messmate, but at the niggers keeping watch."
"Ay, they do look rum," said Dick, smiling; "but they do splendid. Seemproud o' their uniform too, eh?"
"Yes," said Joe Dance, who was leaning his back against the bulwark,"but you might give 'em a bit of something else to put on."
"Well, yes, I might--a sword-belt ain't much for a man to wear, and hislegs would be very thin to get 'em hid behind a scabbard. But we shallsee, my lad, we shall see."