CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
DEPARTURE FROM PIRATE ISLAND AND HOPEFUL NEWS AT SARAWAK.
The vessel of which Robin and his friends had thus become possessed, wasone of those numerous native pirate-ships which did, and we believestill do, infest some parts of the Malay Archipelago--ships which canassume the form and do the work of simple trading-vessels whenconvenience requires, or can hoist the black flag when circumstancesfavour. It was not laden with anything valuable at the time of itscapture. The slaves who wrought at the oars when wind failed, werewretched creatures who had been captured among the various islands, andmany of them were in the last stage of exhaustion, having been workedalmost to death by their inhuman captors, though a good many were stillrobust and fresh.
These latter it was resolved to keep still in fetters, as it was justpossible that some of them, if freed, might take a fancy to seize theship and become pirates on their own account. They were treated as wellas circumstances would admit of, however, and given to understand thatthey should be landed and set free as soon as possible. Meanwhile, nomore work would be required of them than was absolutely necessary.Those of them who were ill were freed at once from toil, carefullynursed by Letta and doctored by Sam.
At first Robin and his comrades sailed away without any definite purposein view, but after things had been got into order, a council was heldand plans were discussed. It was then that Letta mentioned what thepirates in the cavern had said about her having been taken from Sarawak.
"Sarawak!" exclaimed Robin, "why, that's the place that has been ownedand governed for many years by an Englishman named Brooke--Sir JamesBrooke, if I remember rightly, and they call him Rajah Brooke. Perhapsyour mother lives there, Letta."
"Where is Sarawak?" asked Stumps, whose injuries in the recent fightwere not so severe as had at first been supposed.
"It's in the island of Borneo," replied Sam; "you're right, Robin--"
"No, he's Robin Wright," interrupted Slagg.
"Be quiet, Jim. I think it is highly probable that your parents arethere, Letta, and as we have no particular reason for going anywhereelse, and can't hope to make for England in a tub like this, we willjust lay her head for Sarawak."
This was accordingly done, their new course being nor'-east and by east.
It would extend our tale to undue proportions were we to give in detailall the adventures they experienced, dangers they encountered, andhairbreadth escapes they made, between that point on the wide southernocean and the Malay Archipelago. The reader must be content to skipover the voyage, and to know that they ultimately arrived at the port ofSarawak, where they were kindly treated by a deputy, the Rajah himselfbeing absent at the time.
During the voyage, the subject of finding Letta's parents became one ofengrossing and increasing interest,--so much so, indeed, that evenelectricity and telegraph-cables sank into secondary importance. Theyplanned, over and over again, the way in which they would set aboutmaking inquiries, and the various methods which they would adopt inpursuit of their end. They even took to guessing who Letta's parentswould turn out to be, and Sam went so far as to invent and relateromantic stories, in which the father and mother of Letta played aconspicuous part. He called them Colonel and Mrs Montmorenci forconvenience, which Slagg reduced to Colonel and Mrs Monty, "for short."
In all this Letta took great delight, chiefly because it held theconversation on that source of undying interest, "mamma," and partlybecause she entered into the fun and enjoyed the romance of the thing,while, poor child, her hopeful spirit never for a moment doubted that insome form or other the romance would become a reality through Robin, onwhom she had bestowed her highest affections--next, of course, to mamma.
On landing at Sarawak, Sam Shipton went direct to the Government officesto report the capture of the pirate vessel and to make inquiries as toLetta's parents, leaving Robin and the others to watch the vessel.
"Isn't it strange," said John Johnson to Robin, as they leaned over theside and looked down into the clear water, "that a Englishman shouldbecome a Rajah, and get possession o' this here country?"
"I can give you only a slight reply to that question," replied Robin,"but Sam will enlighten you more than I can; he seems to be acquaintedwith the Rajah's strange career. All I know is, that he is said togovern the country well."
"Coorious," said Johnson; "_I_ shouldn't like to settle down in sitch anest o' pirates. Hows'ever, every man to his taste, as Jack said whenthe shark swallowed his sou'-wester. D'ee think it's likely, sir, thatwe'll find out who the parents o' poor Miss Letta is?"
Robin shook his head. "I'm not very hopeful. We have so littleinformation to go upon--just one word,--Sarawak! Nevertheless, I don'tdespair, and I'll certainly not be beat without trying hard. But herecomes Sam; he looks pleased. I think--I hope, he has good news for us."
"I've got something, but not much," replied Sam to the eager inquirieswith which he was assailed. "The gentleman whom I saw knew nothingabout a little girl having been kidnapped from this region within thelast two or three years, but an old clerk or secretary, who heard ustalking about it, came up scratching his nose with the feather of hisquill, and humbly said that he had heard something about a girldisappearing at a fire somewhere, though he couldn't recollect the nameof the place, as he was ill at the time, besides being new to thecountry, but he thought there was a Malay, a drunken old fellow, livingsome five miles inland, who used to talk about something of the sort,and who had, he fancied, been in the service of the people whose househad been burned. But, altogether, he was very hazy on the subject."
"Then we must go and ferret out this old man instantly," said Robin,buttoning up his coat, as if about to commence the journey at once.
"Too late to-night, Robin," said Sam; "restrain your impatience, my boy.You forget that it sometimes gets dark in these latitudes, and thatthere are no street lamps on the country roads."
"True, true, Sam. And what said they about our capture?"
"That we must leave it in their hands at present; that they did not knowexactly what the Rajah might have to say about it, but that he would bethere himself in a few weeks, and decide the matter."
"'Pon my word, that's cool," said Slagg, who came up at the moment; "an'suppose we wants to continue our voyage to England, or Indy, or Chiny?"
"If we do we must continue it by swimming," returned Sam; "but itmatters little, for there is a steamer expected to touch here in a fewdays on her way to India, so we can take passage in her, having plentyof funds--thanks to the pirates!"
"It's all very well for you to boast of bein' rich," growled Stumps,"but _I_ won't be able to afford it."
"Oh! yes you will," returned Robin with a laugh. "The Jews will advanceyou enough on your jewellery to pay your passage."
"Sarves you right for bein' so greedy," said Slagg.
The greed which Slagg referred to had been displayed by Stumps at thetime the parcels of coin and precious stones were made up in the cavernfor sudden emergency, as before mentioned. On that occasion each manhad made up his own parcel, selecting such gems, trinkets, and coin fromthe pirate horde as suited his fancy. Unfortunately, the sight of somuch wealth had roused in the heart of Stumps feelings of avarice, whichheretofore had lain dormant, and he stuffed many glittering and superbpieces of jewellery into his bag in a secretive manner, as if halfashamed of his new sensations, and half afraid that his right to themmight be disputed.
Afterwards, on the voyage to Borneo, when the bags were emptied andtheir costly contents examined, it was discovered that many of Stumps'smost glittering gems were mere paste--almost worthless--although some ofthem, of course, were valuable. Stumps was much laughed at, and in aprivate confabulation of his comrades, it was agreed that they wouldpunish him by contrasting their own riches with his glittering trash,but that at last they would give him a share which would make all thebags equal. This deceptive treatment, however, wrought more severely onStumps than they had expected, and roused not only jealous
butrevengeful feelings in his breast.
Next morning, Sam and Robin set off with Letta to search for the oldMalay, leaving their comrades in charge of the vessel.
There is something inexpressibly delightful to the feelings in passingthrough the glades and thickets of tropical forests and plantationsafter a long sea voyage. The nostrils seem to have been speciallyprepared, by long abstinence from sweet smells, to appreciate the scentsand odours of aromatic plants and flowers. The soft shade of foliage,the refreshing green, and the gay colours everywhere, fill the eye withpleasure, not less exquisite than that which fills the ears from thewarblings and chatterings of birds, the gentle tones of domesticanimals, and the tinkling of rills. The mere solidity of the land,under foot, forms an element of pleasure after the tossings of therestless sea, and all the sweet influences put together tend to rouse inthe heart a shout of joy and deep gratitude for a world so beautiful,and for powers so sensitively capable of enjoying it.
Especially powerful were the surrounding influences on our three friendsas they proceeded, mile after mile, into the country, and little wonder,for eyes, and nostrils, and ears, which had of late drunk only of theblue heavens and salt sea and the music of the wind, naturally gloatedover a land which produces sandal-wood, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger,benzoin, camphor, nutmeg, and a host of other gums and spices; a landwhose shades are created by cocoa-nut palms, ebony, banana, bread-fruit,gutta-percha, upas, sesamum, and a vast variety of other trees andshrubs, the branches of which are laden with fruits, and flowers, andparoquets, and monkeys.
Little Letta's heart was full to overflowing, so much so that she couldscarcely speak while walking along holding Robin's hand. But there wasmore than mere emotion in her bosom--memory was strangely busy in herbrain, puzzling her with dreamy recognitions both as to sights andsounds.
"It's _so_ like home!" she murmured once, looking eagerly round.
"Is it?" said Robin with intense interest. "Look hard at it, littleone; do you recognise any object that used to be in your old home?"
The child shook her head sadly. "No, not exactly--everything is _so_like, and--and yet not like, somehow."
They came just then upon a clearing among sugar-cane, in the midst ofwhich stood a half-ruined hut, quite open in front and thatched withbroad leaves. On a bench near the entrance was seated an oldgrey-haired Malay man with a bottle beside him. Nearer to the visitorsa young girl was digging in the ground.
"That's the old Malay, for certain," said Sam; "see, the old rascal hasgone pretty deep already into the bottle. Ask the girl, Letta, what hisname is."
Sam did not at first observe that the child was trembling very much andgazing eagerly at the old man. He had to repeat the question twicebefore she understood him, and then she asked the girl, without takingher eyes off the old man.
"Who is he?" responded the girl in the Malay tongue, "why, that's oldGeorgie--drunken Georgie."
She had scarcely uttered the words when Letta uttered a wild cry, ran tothe old man, leaped into his arms, and hugged him violently.
The man was not only surprised but agitated. He loosened the child'shold so as to be able to look at her face.
"Oh, Georgie, Georgie!" she cried almost hysterically, "don't you knowme--don't you know Letta?"
Georgie replied by uttering a great shout of mingled astonishment andjoy, as he clasped the child in his arms. Then, setting her down andholding her at arm's-length, he cried in remarkably broken English--
"Know you! W'at? Vous hold nuss--hold Georgie--not know Miss Letty.Ho! Miss Letty! my hold 'art's a-busted a'most! But you's come back.T'ank do Lor'! Look 'ere, Miss Letty." (He started up, put the childdown, and, with sudden energy seized the bottle of ruin by the neck.)"Look ere, yous oftin say to me afore you hoed away, `Geo'gie, do, _do_give up d'inkin','--you 'members?"
"No, I don't remember," said Letta, smiling through her tears.
"Ho! yes, but you said it--bery often, an' me was used to say, `Yes,Miss Letty'--de hold hippercrit!--but I didn't gib 'im up. I d'ink awaywuss dan ebber. But now--but now--but now," (he danced round, each timewhirling the bottle above his head), "me d'ink no more--nebber--nebber--_nebber_ more."
With a mighty swing the old man sent the rum-bottle, like a rocket, upamong the branches of an ebony-tree, where it was shattered to atoms,and threw an eaves-dropping monkey almost into fits by raining rum andbroken glass upon its inquisitive head.
When the excitement of the meeting had somewhat subsided, Letta suddenlysaid, "But where is mamma? Oh! take me to mamma, Georgie."
The old man's joy instantly vanished, and Letta stood pale and tremblingbefore him, pressing her little hands to her breast, and not daring,apparently, to ask another question.
"Not dead?" she said at length in a low whisper.
"No--no--Miss Letty," replied the man hastily, "Ho! no, not dead, butgoed away; nigh broked her heart when she losted you; git berry sick;t'ought she was go for die, but she no die. She jis turn de corner andcome round, an' when she git bedder she hoed away."
"Where did she go to?" asked Robin, anxiously.
"To Bumby," said old George.
"To where?"
"Bumby."
"I suppose you mean Bombay?" said Sam.
"Yes, yes--an' me _say_ Bumby."
"Is she alive and well?" asked Robin.
"Don' know," replied old George, shaking his head; "she no write to holdGeo'gie. Nigh two years since she goed away."
When the excitement of this meeting began to subside, Sam Shipton tookthe old Malay aside, and, after prolonged conversation, learned from himthe story, of which the following is the substance.
Mrs Langley was the widow of a gentleman who had died in the service ofRajah Brooke. Several years before--he could not say exactly how many--the widow had retired with her only child, Letta, to a little bungalowon a somewhat out-of-the-way part of the coast which Mr Langley used tobe fond of going to, and called his "shooting-box." This had beenattacked one night by Labuan pirates, who, after taking all that wasvaluable, set fire to the house. Mrs Langley had escaped by a backdoor into the woods with her old man-servant, George. She had rushed atthe first alarm to Letta's bed, but the child was not there. Letta hadbeen awake, had heard the advance of the pirate crew, and had gone intoa front room to see who was coming. Supposing that old George must havetaken charge of the child, and hearing him calling to her to come awayquickly, the widow ran out at the back door as the pirates entered bythe front. Too late she found that George had not the child, and shewould have returned to the house, regardless of consequences, if Georgehad not forcibly restrained her. When George returned at daybreak, hefound the house a smouldering ruin, the pirates gone, and Letta nowhereto be found.
The shock threw Mrs Langley into a violent fever. She even lost herreason for a time, and when at last she was restored to some degree ofhealth, she went away to Bombay without saying to any one what were herintentions. She could never entirely forgive old George for havingprevented her returning to the house to share the fate of her child, andleft Sarawak without bidding him farewell, though, as old George himselfpathetically remarked, "Me couldn't 'elp it, you knows. De scoundrilskill missis if she goed back, an' dat doos no good to Miss Letty."
This was all the information that could be obtained about Mrs Langley,and on the strength of it Sam and Robin resolved to proceed to Bombay bythe first opportunity. But their patience was severely tried, for manymonths elapsed ere they obtained berths in a vessel bound direct toBombay.
Of course Jim Slagg determined to go with them, and so did Stumps,though a slight feeling of coldness had begun to manifest itself in thatworthy's manner ever since the episode of the division of jewels. JohnJohnson, however, made up his mind to take service with the Rajah, andhelp to exterminate the nests of pirates with which those seas wereinfested.
"Depend upon it, sir," said Johnson to Robin at parting, "that you'llturn out somethin' or other afore long. As I said to our stooard
on thenight that you was born, `Stooard,' says I, `take my word for it, thatthere babby what has just been launched ain't agoin' under hatcheswithout makin' his mark somehow an' somewheres,' an' you've begun tomake it, sir, a'ready, an' you'll go on to make it, as sure as my name'sJohn Johnson."
"I'm gratified by your good opinion," replied Robin, with a laugh. "AllI can say is, that whatever mark I make, I hope may be a good one."
Poor Robin had little ambition at that time to make any kind of mark forhimself on the world. His one desire--which had grown into a sort ofpassion--was to find Letta's mother. Nearly all his thoughts wereconcentrated on that point, and so great was his personal influence onhis comrades, that Sam and Slagg had become almost as enthusiastic aboutit as himself, though Stumps remained comparatively indifferent.
The Battery and the Boiler: Adventures in Laying of Submarine Electric Cables Page 21