The Nameless Island: A Story of Some Modern Robinson Crusoes

by Percy F. Westerman

  CHAPTER IX

  UNWELCOME VISITORS

  "Great Scott! It's a native canoe," declared Mr. McKay. "And she'sheading straight for the island!"

  The craft was some little distance from the entrance to the reef, herhuge brown sail hanging idly from its yard, while the crew vigorouslyplied their paddles as they made the water fly from her sharp prow.

  "Trouble in store?" queried Andy.

  "It's well to be prepared," replied his father. "I know these nativesof old. Sometimes they are quiet and inoffensive, at another time theyare bold and war-like, or, what is worse, extremely treacherous."

  "Then we must arm ourselves?"

  "Assuredly. Quexo, bring my glass."

  The mulatto darted off, and presently reappeared, bringing a glass oflime-juice.

  "Not that, you ass!" exclaimed Mr. McKay, laughing."Glass--telescope--see?" and he raised his hands to imitate theoperation of using a telescope. "I'll have the drink, anyhow."

  Once more Quexo ran to the house, this time bringing back the requiredinstrument.

  "There are at least forty natives," said Mr. McKay, after a lengthyexamination of the oncoming craft. "They may be armed. If so, theirweapons are lying on the bottom of the canoe. But unless I am verymuch mistaken, there's a white man aboard."

  "A prisoner? Let me have a look, pater!"

  In his eagerness Andy almost snatched the telescope from his parent'shand.

  "A queer set of customers," he exclaimed; "but I don't think the whiteman is a captive, for he's talking to a fellow with his hair frizzed upa foot above his head."

  "We've seen enough for the time being," rejoined Mr. McKay quietly, "sowe'll return to the house and serve out the arms. At the rate they aretravelling, the canoe will be here in ten minutes."

  "They won't injure the boat?" asked Andy anxiously, for the yawl wasalmost like a child to him.

  "Not when they see us with rifles in our hands. Whatever you do, don'tlet them have reason to think we want to fight, and, above all, don'tshow any signs of fear."

  The party quickly strapped on their ammunition belts and revolverholsters, then, grasping their rifles, they hastened down to the beach.

  The canoe had by this time entered the lagoon, and its occupants hadperceived the house and the other buildings, for they had ceasedpaddling, and were gazing in wonder towards the shore. Nor did theappearance of five armed men serve to set their minds at rest.

  "Hullo, there!" shouted Mr. McKay.

  "Hullo, there!" was the reply. "What's your game?"

  "What's yours?" replied Mr. McKay.

  "All square, governor. Can we land?"

  "Provided you keep your people in order," replied Mr. McKay, thenturning to his companions he exclaimed: "By Jove! I know that fellow;he's no good, I'm afraid."

  "You know him?"

  "Yes, I met him on a pearl-fisher in Torres Strait twenty odd yearsago. He hasn't changed much in appearance, and I'm afraid his mannershaven't. Still, I'll not claim acquaintanceship with him at present."

  The paddles were resumed, and the canoe glided quietly to the shore.The natives, for the most part stark naked, began to tumble over theside, some grasping enormous clubs studded with sharks' teeth, andothers long triple-barbed spears.

  "Tell those fellows to throw those weapons back into the canoe,"shouted Mr. McKay sternly. "Otherwise we'll not permit them to land."

  The white man spoke a few words to the turban-haired native, who inturn uttered an order to his men. Instantly the weapons were throwninto the canoe with a loud clatter, and the natives, wading ashore,secured their boat and proceeded to squat in a semicircle.

  "My name's Blight--Jimmy Blight," exclaimed the stranger.

  Mr. McKay merely nodded his head in reply. He could not bring himselfto say the words "Pleased to see you," for the simple reason that hewas not.

  Jimmy Blight had had a chequered career. He was a man of about fiftyyears of age, some five feet eight inches in height, and of mediumbuild. Years of exposure to a tropical sun had not left any trace uponhis face, for his complexion was a chalky white. He had a bristling,dark moustache; cut high over the lips, a scanty crop of dark hair, athin, straight nose, rather deep-set eyes that were continuallyshifting in expression, while his hands, the broad nails of which werebitten to the quick, showed little trace of hard work.

  When Mr. McKay first met him he was mate of a pearling vessel, andalready he bore a bad reputation as a hard drinker and a card-sharper,while it was well known that his tyranny had more than once causedbloodshed amongst the Kanaka crew of the vessel. By his whiteassociates he was commonly known as "Chinese Pork"--in other words,something very unpleasant.

  "Well, what can I do for you?" asked Mr. McKay bluntly.

  "The island's free, I guess?" replied Blight, with a leer thatill-concealed his natural aggressiveness.

  "So long as you behave yourself; but should one of those men touch somuch as a copper nail, we'll send you to the right about in doublequick time. Understand?"

  "Yes, boss. But how about a drink? You seem fixed up prettycomfortable here."

  "You can have as much water as you want at the stream. Beyond that,I'm afraid we cannot provide you."

  "Humph! Must take pot-luck, I suppose. Say, are you traders?"

  Mr. McKay did not think it advisable to answer.

  "What's your business, might I ask?" he inquired.

  "It's a long story, boss. You see my mates here"--indicating the groupof squatting natives--"belong to the island of Ahii, which lies seventymiles nor'west of here. In fact, I was very comfortable along of 'em,but might is right in these parts, I'll allow."

  "Chinese Pork" paused to allow the weight of this sentence to takeeffect, but Mr. McKay betrayed no sign.

  "So a few days ago a tribe of natives from Teku came and drove us out.There was a fight, you bet, but our fellows got the worst of it. So wehooked it, and took canoe to Ni Atong, which is less than twenty milesS.E. of Ahii. Ni Atong's all very well, only it ain't big enough, sowe're trying to find a larger island to settle upon. There's close ona couple of hundred natives, and ten large canoes at Ni Atong. Strikesme this place 'ud suit, 'specially with white gents like yourselves forcompany like."

  "I'm afraid you must give up all idea of bringing your friends here,Mr. Blight, or yourself either."

  "Say, why?"

  "Because we cannot permit it."

  "Look here, boss," replied Blight with an impudent swagger. "How doyou think you'll stop two hundred natives if they set their minds onlanding here? Even I couldn't stop 'em."

  "Let them try," replied Mr. McKay. "Now, Mr. Blight, I cannot refuseyou hospitality. Food will be sent down to you; then, when your menhave rested sufficiently, I must ask you to leave this island."

  And turning on his heel, Mr. McKay began to make his way back to thehouse, the lads following him closely.

  Before he had taken a dozen steps the ex-pearler ran after him.

  "See here, boss; I don't mean to give offence--no offence meant--butyou'll allow it's hard on a chap to be done out of his own crib by apack o' niggers. And then you can't deny you've treated meoff-handish, specially as you're the first white man I've seen thesetwo years. So let's come to terms. I see you're well armed. Why notcome back to Ahii with us, and make those chaps from Teku clear offback to their own island? Then the Ahii people won't want to troubleyou. See?"

  "I'll consider the matter," replied Mr. McKay. "By the by, do you evergo to Tahiti?"

  "Not often, boss. I was there two years ago. When I've got a cargo ofcopra ready I send it by a native boat. Why do you ask?"

  "I merely wanted to know, Mr. Blight. But now I must be off. I'llsend the provisions along shortly, and will give you a definite replyto your proposal in a few hours. It seems to me that the easiest wayout of the mess is to accept the fellow's advice," remarked Mr. McKayas they entered their house. "We certainly don't want to tryconclusions with a horde of
savages on this island. No doubt we couldbeat them off, but in any case there is a considerable amount of risk.If I can get Blight to give me a guarantee--though I don't place muchreliance on his word--backed by the chief's assurance that his men willnot trespass upon the island, I think we can very well help them."

  "Do you think there will be much of a struggle?" asked Ellerton.

  "Between whom?"

  "The natives of Ahii and the natives who took possession of theirisland."

  "No; our presence will soon turn the scale, though we may not even haveto use our firearms. You can rely upon it that I'll do my best toprevent bloodshed. Are you willing to go, lads? If you haveobjections don't hesitate to say so."

  "I haven't," said Ellerton.

  "Nor I," added the others.

  "Very well, then. Quexo, take this keg of flour down to the beach, andtell that white man that his people can gather as much taro andcocoanuts as they want, so long as they don't cross to this side of thestream. You understand? Do you think we might spare Blight a lamb,Andy?"

  "I think so, pater. We've twenty at least."

  "Then tell Quexo to take one down when he comes back. Now, boys, if weare going on this trip, we had better make preparations. We ought tostart by sunrise at least, if we want to reach Ahii before dark."

  "But are we going straight to Ahii?"

  "No, by Jove! I forgot that for the moment. Of course, it will bemuch better to spend the night off Ni Atong--I suppose there's alagoon--and proceed to Ahii on the following morning."

  "Well, Quexo," said Andy, on the mulatto's return, "what did the whiteman say?"

  "He say: 'Come here you number one size blackamoor. What your massaname is?' An' I say: 'I no number one size blackamoor; I no niggah,sah; an' my massa name me no give, massa he tell you his name if youask.'"

  "That's a smart reply, Quexo," replied Mr. McKay, laughing. "There'snothing like keeping your master's counsel and your own. Now take thatcarcase down to the beach. Ellerton, you might take a stroll along theedge of the cliff and, without attracting undue attention, keep an eyeon the rascals. I don't want them straggling across the stream."

  Thus bidden, Ellerton walked cautiously to the edge of the firstterrace, then laying his rifle on the ground, stretched himself into acomfortable position so that he could see without being seen, and hearwithout being heard.

  Most of the natives had dispersed, and were busily engaged in seekingtaro and cocoanuts, although they kept strictly within the bounds laiddown by Mr. McKay.

  Blight, the chief, and a couple of natives had killed the lamb and wereroasting it by the aboriginal method of caking it with clay and placingit in the red-hot embers of a fire. Although the white man castseveral curious glances at the cliff, above which the roof of the housewas just visible, he refrained from setting foot upon the path that ledto Mr. McKay's settlement.

  Late in the afternoon Mr. McKay went down to the beach and informedBlight that he had decided to lend his aid, at the same timestipulating that the natives must promise not to molest the inhabitantsof McKay's Island.

  The remainder of the yawl's stores were then carried aboard, Andy andEllerton volunteering to keep watch on the boat while Mr. McKay,Terence, and Quexo took turns in patrolling the edge of the terrace.

  A tent, some blankets, and a few luxuries in the way of provisions werethen sent down to the ex-pearler, while the natives prepared to sleepunder the shelter of the palm trees and bushes.

  "If you see or hear anything of a suspicious nature, Andy," cautionedMr. McKay, "here is a signal rocket. Don't use it except incircumstances that warrant our interference. You have plenty ofammunition?"

  "Seventy rounds of rifle ammunition and fifty revolver cartridges each.You'll see that another box of ammunition comes off in the morning."

  "Aye, aye," replied his father. "Now I think everything is ready tomake an early start, so you had better be off."

  Then, having bade the rest of the party good night, Andy and his trustycompanion descended to the beach, passed between knots of curiousnatives, and embarked in the yawl's tender.

  Five minutes later they were on board, and the ammunition stowed awaywithin easy reach.

  The lads had made an excellent job in converting the ship's cutter.From the awning-covered well a short ladder led to the cabin. Herefour roomy folding bunks, a swing table, plenty of lockers and rackshad been fitted, while the linoleum-covered floor, the red baizecurtains, and the polished brass lamp imparted an air of comfort.Overhead a skylight served to admit both fresh air and light.

  In the fo'c'sle, to which access could be obtained either by slidingdoors between it and the cabin, or through a hatch on deck, were thesails, spare ropes, anchor cable, and a small stove constructed fromone of the galleys of the _San Martin_.

  The motor had been installed under the floor of the well, while on theafterside of the cabin bulkhead was fixed a boat's compass, illuminatedby means of the cabin lamp, so that the steersman could keep a coursewith comfort, whether by day or night.

  "Now, Hoppy, I'll take the first watch," remarked Andy, as the sun sankbeneath the lofty peak of McKay's Island. "I'll turn you out at two inthe morning, and then you can carry on till daybreak, if that will suityou."

  "Righto!" replied Ellerton.

  And turning in upon his bunk he was soon fast asleep, lulled by theslight motion of the little craft as she rose and fell to the gentleheave of the lagoon.