CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
IN WHICH WILL BE FOUND MORE SURPRISES THAN ONE.
Events of the most singular description are often prefaced by incidentsof the most commonplace character. Who is so inexperienced in thevicissitudes of life as not to know this!
Early in the morning that succeeded their second night on the raft,Robin Wright awoke with a very commonplace, indeed a vulgar, snore; wemight almost call it a snort. Such as it was, however, it proved to bea most important link in the chain of events which it is our province tonarrate.
To explain: It must be understood that John Shanks, or Stumps, amongother eccentricities, practised sprawling in his sleep, spreadinghimself abroad in inconceivable attitudes, shooting out an arm here, ora leg there, to the alarm or indignation of bedfellows, insomuch that,when known, bedfellows refused to remain with him.
Aware of Stumps's propensity, Slagg had so arranged that his friendshould lie at the stern of the raft with two strands of thebinding-cable between him and Robin, who lay next to him. During thefirst part of the night, Stumps, either overcome by weariness or subduedby his friends' discourses on the stellar world, behaved pretty well.Only once did he fling out and bestow an unmerited blow on thepork-barrel. But, about daybreak, he began to sprawl, gradually workinghis way to the extreme edge of the raft, where a piece of wood, nailedthere on purpose, prevented him from rolling off altogether. It didnot, however, prevent his tossing one of his long legs over the edge,which he accordingly did. The leg and foot were naked. He preferredto sleep so, even when bedless, having been brought up inshoe-and-stockingless society. With his foot dipping lightly in thewave, he prolonged his repose.
They were slipping quietly along at the time under the influence of asteady though gentle breeze, which had sprung up and filled their sailsoon after they lay down to rest. An early shark, intent on picking upsea-worms, observed Stumps's foot, and licked his lips, no doubt. Hesank immediately for much the same reason that little boys retire totake a race before a leap. Turning on his back, according to custom, hewent at the foot like a submarine thunderbolt.
Now, it was at that precise moment that Robin Wright snored, asaforesaid. The snore awoke Stumps, who had another sprawl, and drew uphis leg gently--oh, how gently compared with what he would have done hadhe known what you know, reader! Nevertheless, the action was in time,else would he have had, for the rest of his life, a better title thanheretofore to his nickname. As it was, the nose and lips of the slimymonster struck the youth's foot and slid up the side of his leg.
Hideous was the yell with which Stumps received the salute. Acrobaticwas the tumble with which he rolled over his comrades, and dire was thealarm created in all their hearts as they bounced from under therespective corners of their covering, and stood up, aghast!
"You twopenny turnip," said Slagg, "why did you screech like--"
He stopped. There was no need to finish the question, for the fin ofthe disappointed shark, describing angry zig-zags in the water close by,furnished a sufficient answer.
"He has only grazed me," said Stumps, feeling his leg anxiously.
"Only grazed you! rather say crazed you," returned Sam, "for a cry likethat could only come from a madman. What were you doing?--washing yourfeet in the sea?"
"No, not exactly," replied Stumps, somewhat abashed, "but one of my legsgot over the end of the raft somehow, and was trailing in the water."
"Hallo! I say, look there, Sam!" said Robin, with sudden animation,pointing to the horizon straight ahead of them; "is that the big raft ora ship?"
"Neither, Robin," replied Sam, after a prolonged and earnest gaze; "itmust be an island. What do you think, Slagg?"
The incident of the shark was almost totally forgotten in the excitementcaused by this new discovery. For some time Slagg and all the othersgazed intently without uttering a word. Then Slagg looked round with adeep sigh.
"Yes, it's a island," he said; "no doubt about that."
"What a blessing!" exclaimed Robin, with heartfelt emotion.
"Well, that depends," said Sam, with a shake of the head. "Islands inthe China seas are not always places of refuge--at least for honestpeople."
"By no means," added Slagg; "I've heard say that the pirates there areabout the wust set o' cut-throats goin'--though I don't myself believethere's much difference atween one set and another."
The light wind which had carried the raft slowly over the sea, whilethey were asleep, now freshened into a stiff breeze, and tested thequalities of their craft, severely; but, with a little strengthening--anextra turn of a rope or an additional nail--here and there, it heldpretty well together. At breakfast, which was served according toregulation, they discussed their situation.
"You see," said Sam, "this may turn out to be a small barren island, inwhich case we shall have to leave it and trust to falling in with somevessel; or it may be inhabited by savages or pirates, in which case weshall have to leave it from prudential motives, if they will allow us todo so. In any case, we won't begin by being extravagant with theprovisions to-day."
As they drew near to the island, the probability of its being inhabitedbecame greater, because, although solitary, and, according to Sam'samateur calculations, far remote from other lands, it presented a boldand fertile aspect. It was not, indeed, large in circumference, but itrose to a considerable height, and was covered with rich vegetation,above which waved numerous groups of the cocoa-nut palm. A band oflight yellow sand fringed the shore, on which the waves roiled in astill lighter fringe of foam, while two or three indentations seemed toindicate the existence of creeks or openings into the interior.
With eager gaze the castaways watched this island as they slowlyapproached it--the minuter beauties of rock and dell and leafy copsebrightening into view as the sun mounted the clear blue sky.
"What I have thought or dreamed of sometimes, when dear mother used tospeak of heaven," murmured Robin, as if communing with himself.
"Well, I have not thought much of heaven," said Sam, "but I shouldn'twonder if it's something like the paradise, from which Adam and Eve weredriven."
"There's no sign o' natives as yet," said Slagg, who, regardless ofthese remarks, had been gazing at the island with eyes shaded by hishand.
"Yes there is; yonder is one sitting on the rocks," said Stumps; "don'tyou see him move?"
"That's not a native," returned Slagg, "it's too long in the back for ahuman being. It's a big monkey--a gorilla, maybe. Did you ever heartell of gorillas being in them regions?"
"I rather think not," said Sam; "and to my mind it looks more like arock than anything else."
A rock it proved to be, to the discomfiture of Slagg and Stumps; but therock was not without interest, for it was soon seen that a rope wasattached to it, and that the rope, stretching across the entrance to acreek, was lost in the foliage on the side opposite to the rock.
"Why, I do believe," said Sam, suddenly, in an impressive whisper, "thatthere is a vessel of some sort at the other end of that rope, behind thepoint, partly hid by the trees. Don't you see the top of her masts?"
After long and earnest gazing, and much whispered conversation--thoughthere was no occasion for caution at such a distance from the land--theycame to the conclusion that a vessel lay concealed just within the mouthof the creek towards which the wind was driving them, and that, as theyapparently had not been discovered by those who owned the vessel, theirwisest course would be to land, if possible without attractingattention, somewhat farther along the coast.
"But how is that to be done," asked Robin, "as we have neither oar norrudder?"
"Nothing easier," returned Slagg, seizing the axe and wrenching up theplank that had prevented Stumps from finding a watery grave, "I've on'ygot to cut a handle at one end, an' we've got an oar at once."
In a few minutes the handy youth converted the piece of plank into arude oar, with which he steered the raft, so that it gradually drew tothe southward of the creek where the strange vessel lay,
and finallytook the land in another inlet not far distant.
It was evident, from the silence around, that no one was stirring in thevessel, and that their approach had not been perceived. Congratulatingthemselves on this piece of good fortune, they lowered their sail, drewthe raft under the bushes, which in some parts of the inlet came closedown to the sea, and then hurried stealthily through a palm-grovetowards the vessel. They reached the margin of the grove in a fewminutes, and there discovered that the stranger was apparently a Chinesecraft, but whether a trading-vessel, or smuggler, or pirate, they had nomeans of knowing.
As they lay flat on their faces in the rank grass, peeping through theluxuriant undergrowth, they could see that two men paced the deck withmusket on shoulder as if on guard, but no other human beings werevisible.
"Shall we go forward and trust them as honest traders?" asked Sam in awhisper.
"I think not," replied Slagg; "if all's true that one hears, there isnot much honesty afloat in them seas. My advice is to stay where we areand see what turns up."
"What think you, Robin?"
Robin was of opinion that they should trust the strangers and goforward. Stumps agreed with him, but Sam thought with Slagg. Theirindecision, however, was cut short by a most startling occurrence.
While they were yet whispering together, the sound of voices was heardin the distance. Our castaways at once sank flatter into the grass, andbecame mute.
In a few minutes the voices drew gradually nearer, until they were quiteclose to the alarmed watchers. Suddenly, from among the bushes on theother side of an open space just in front of them, there issued a bandof men, walking in single file. Their appearance might have arousedgrave anxiety in the most unsuspecting breast, for, besides possessingfaces in which the effects of dissipation and evil passions were plainlystamped, they were armed--as the saying is--to the teeth, with shortswords, cavalry pistols, and carbines. They were dressed in variedEastern costume, and appeared to be of Malay origin, though some borecloser resemblance to the Chinese.
The man who marched in advance--evidently the leader of the band--wasunusually tall and powerful, with a remarkably stern, but not altogetherforbidding, countenance.
"Pirates!" whispered Slagg.
"Looks like them, but may be smugglers," replied Sam in the samecautious tone.
Even Robin's unsuspecting and inexperienced nature would not permit himto believe that they were honest traders. Had any doubts on the subjectlingered in their minds, these would have been effectually cleared awayby the scenes which immediately followed.
While the pirates were still at some distance from the shore, suddenshouts and yells came from the vessel, which had, up to that time, beenlying so peacefully at anchor, and it was at once clear that a furioushand-to-hand fight was taking place upon her deck.
"It must be the poor slaves who have risen," whispered Sam.
The pirates had drawn their swords and pistols at the first sound of thefight, and rushed to the rescue. They well knew that, while they hadbeen on shore, the unfortunate captives chained in the vessel's hold hadsucceeded in freeing themselves, and were endeavouring to overcome thefew men left to guard them.
Slaves captured at various times by the scoundrels who infest thoseseas, are sometimes made to work at the oars--which are much used duringcalm weather--until they die, or become so worn out as to be useless,when they are mercilessly thrown overboard. That the slaves referred toon this occasion, animated probably by despair, had effected theirrelease, and plucked up heart to assault the armed guard, was a matterof some surprise to the pirates: not so, however, to our adventurers,when they saw, foremost among the mutineers, a man clad in the garb of aEuropean sailor.
"That's the boy as has put 'em up to it," said Jim Slagg, in asuppressed but eager voice, "they'd never have had the pluck to do it ofthemselves."
"We'd better go an' help 'em," said Stumps, whose usually stupid facewas lighted up with excitement.
"Right, lad," exclaimed Slagg, starting up; but Sam laid his hand firmlyon his arm.
"Too late," he said; "don't you see that the guard have prevailed.Besides, the pirate crew are in their boats--almost at the vessel. See,they swarm up the side."
"Poor, poor sailor!" said Robin Wright, in a voice of the deepest pity.
"You may well say that; no doubt he is killed by this time," said Slagg;"but no--he is fightin' still!"
This was indeed true. Some of the slaves, rendered desperate no doubt,were still maintaining the hopeless fight with handspikes and such armsas they had succeeded in wresting from the guard at the first onset, andthe stalwart figure of the European sailor was seen swaying aloft aclubbed musket and felling a pirate at every blow. Animated by hisexample, the other slaves fought with resolute bravery, but when therest of the pirate crew joined the guard and surrounded them, they wereinstantly overpowered. Then those who had not been already slain wereled hastily to the side, a sword was drawn across their throats, orthrust through them, and the bodies were tossed into the sea. Amongthose led thus to the side was the brave sailor. Although his featurescould not be distinguished at such a distance by those in ambush, itcould be clearly seen that he came boldly forward, resolved, no doubt,to meet his fate like a man.
"Oh, God, spare him!" burst in a voice of agony from Robin, who sprangup as if with the intention of rushing to the rescue, regardless ofconsequences, but a second time Sam Shipton's restraining hand wasready.
"What could we do, with the sea between us and the ship? Even if wewere on the deck could we four deliver him from a hundred?"
Robin sank down again with a groan, but his fascinated eyes still gazedat the pirate vessel. To his great surprise, the sailor at that momentuttered a long and ringing cheer! The act seemed to overawe even thebloodstained pirates, for they hesitated an instant. Then one of thempointed his sword at the sailor's back, but at the same moment theleader of the band was seen to strike up the sword and give some hurrieddirections. A rope was instantly brought, with which the arms and legsof the seaman were secured, and he was carried below.
"Our prayer has been answered!" exclaimed Robin with renewed excitement;"they _are_ going to spare him."
Sam shook his head. "I fear not, Robin; at least, if I may judge fromwhat I have read of these villains, they have only spared him for a timefor the purpose of torturing him."
Robin shuddered. "Well, I don't know," he said, "whatever they may do,God _has_ answered our prayer, for they _have_ spared him; and if Godcould deliver him thus at the last moment, surely He can deliver himaltogether. But was it not remarkable that he should give such a cheerwhen--as he must have thought--at the point of death, for it soundedmore like a cheer of triumph than defiance?"
"It was strange indeed. The effect of strong excitement, I fancy."
While they were conversing, the pirates were busily engaged in gettingup the anchor and hoisting the sails of their craft. At the same timethe long oars or sweeps were manned by such of the slaves as remainedalive, and the vessel slowly glided out of the creek, and put to sea.Fortunately the fight had engrossed the attention of those on board somuch that they had failed to observe the little raft, which, althoughpartially concealed by bushes, might not otherwise have escapeddetection.
Our voyagers were still congratulating themselves on their good fortunein this respect, when the pirate-ship was observed to change her course,turn completely round and return towards the land!
"They've seen us!" ejaculated Robin in consternation.
"Our doom is fixed," said Sam in a tone of bitter despair.
Slagg and his friend were so much overwhelmed that they could not speak.
On came the vessel--under oars--straight for the creek where the raftlay. There could be no doubt now that they had been seen.
While they gazed in blank dismay, utterly unable to decide on any courseof action, an event occurred which totally altered the aspect ofaffairs. Suddenly, as if by magic, the pirate-ship was converted int
o agreat black-and-white cloud, from out of which there shot anindescribable mass of broken spars and wreckage which fell in alldirections in a heavy shower into the sea. Two seconds later and therecame a roar as if a crash of the loudest thunder had rent the sky. Thepowder-magazine had been fired, and the pirate-ship had been blownliterally to atoms!
When the last of the terrible shower had fallen, nothing whatever of thevessel was to be seen save the floating morsels of the wreck. It was,we might say, a tremendous instance of almost absolute annihilation.
Recovering from the shock of horror and surprise, Sam Shipton ranswiftly down to the spot where the raft lay, followed by his companions.
"There may be some left alive!" he cried. "Quick--shove her off.Yonder's a pole, Robin, fetch it."
Another minute and they were afloat. Pushing with the pole, scullingwith the rude oar, and paddling with a plank torn off, they made for thescene of the explosion.
"I see something moving," said Stumps, who, having no implement to workwith, stood up in front and directed their course.
Soon they were in the midst of the _debris_. It was an awful sight, forthere, mingled with riven spars and planks and cabin furniture, andentangled in ravelled cordage, lay the torn lifeless remains of thepirates. Sharks were already swimming about in anticipation of a feast.
"Did you not see symptoms of life somewhere?" asked Sam, as he stoodbeside Stumps, and looked earnestly round.
"Yes, I did, but I don't now--O yes! there it is again. Give way,Slagg, give way. There!"
The raft was soon alongside of the moving object. It was the body ofthe gallant sailor who had fought so well that day. His limbs werestill fast bound, excepting one arm, with which now and then he struckout feebly, as if trying to swim. Lying on his back his mouth and nosewere above water.
"Gently, gently, boys," said Robin, as they lifted the head out of thewater and slowly drew the shoulders up; "now, a good heave and--that'sit."
The body slid heavily on the raft, and the motion seemed to rouse theseaman's spirit, for he uttered a faint cheer, while they knelt roundhim, and tried in various ways to restore him to consciousness.
"Hurrah for old England!" he cried presently, in an imbecile manner,making an abortive effort to lift his loose arm; "never say die--s'long's there's--a shok in th' lotter."
"Well done, old saltwater!" cried Slagg, unable to restrain a laugh;"you'll live to fight yet, or I'm mistaken."
There was indeed some prospect that the poor fellow would recover, for,after a short time, he was able to gaze at his rescuers with anintensity of surprise that betokened the return not only ofconsciousness but of reason.
"Well, well," he said, after gazing around for some time in silence ashe lay with his head supported on the sail, "I s'pose it's all right,and I'll wake up all square in the mornin', but it's out o' sight themost comical dream I've had since I was a babby. I only hope it'll takea pleasanter turn if it's agoin' to continue."
With this philosophical reflection the sailor shut his eyes, anddisposed himself to sleep until the period of real waking should arrive.
Thinking this the best thing he could do in the circumstances, hisrescuers turned to examine whether any of the others had survived theexplosion, but, finding that all were dead or had sunk, they returned tothe land.
Here, after securing the raft, they made a sort of litter, with the sailspread on the oar and a plank, on which they carried the sailor to thesheltered spot whence they had witnessed the fight. As the poor man hadby that time fallen into a genuine slumber--which appeared to bedreamless--he was left under the care of Stumps and Slagg, while Sam andRobin went off to ascertain whether or not the island was inhabited.
"We will go straight up to the highest point at once, so as to get abird's-eye view of it," said Sam. "I can't help thinking that it mustbe inhabited, for these scoundrels would not care to land, I shouldfancy, unless there was some one to rob."
"It may be so, Sam. But if they had come to rob, don't you think theywould not have returned to their ship without captives or booty?"
"There is something in that, Robin. Come; we shall see."
The Battery and the Boiler: Adventures in Laying of Submarine Electric Cables Page 16