by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXIV
THE TABLES TURNED
Christy understood the character of Captain Flanger well enough to beconfident he meant mischief to him in getting him into the boat. Heconcluded that this movement was the result of the conference with themate. He had a suspicion that his terrible enemy intended to drown him,or get rid of him in some other manner.
"May I ask where I am to be taken in the boat, Mr. Dawbin?" asked theprisoner, suppressing as much as he could the excitement that disturbedhim.
"I give you leave to ask, but I cannot answer you," replied the mate.
"If you intend to put me on board of that steamer, it can do no harm tosay so, I think," added Christy.
"If you will excuse me, Mr. Passford, I cannot answer any questions.I ask you again to get into the boat," said Mr. Dawbin.
"Well, sir, suppose I decline to do so?"
"Then I shall be compelled to use force, and tumble you into the boat inthe best way I can, with the assistance of my men."
"If you intend to murder me, why can't you do the deed here on deck?"demanded the prisoner.
"I don't intend to murder you."
"That is some consolation. That lighthouse on the Great Isaac is theonly place to which you can convey me, and that is sixteen miles fromthis steamer. I can't believe you intend to pull me that distance."
"No fooling there!" shouted the captain. "What are you waiting for, Mr.Dawbin? Why don't you obey my order?"
"The fellow wants to talk," replied the mate.
"If he won't get into the boat, pitch him into it like a dead dog!"
Christy saw that it was useless to resist, though he had a revolver inhis pocket which had not been taken from him, for he had not beensearched. The mate and two sailors stood in front of him, and herealized that he could accomplish nothing by resistance under presentcircumstances. He thought he could do better in the boat after it wasbeyond the reach of any reinforcements from the steamer. He went overthe side, and took his place in the stern sheets.
The mate followed him, and the two men, one of whom was hardly more thana boy, took their places on the thwarts. The boat was shoved off, andthe prisoner had an immediate interest in the course it was about tosteer. The mate arranged the tiller lines, and then looked about him.
He directed his gaze towards the north, and seemed to be trying to findsome object or point. He satisfied himself in some manner, and thenresumed his seat, from which he had risen in order to obtain a betterview over the waves. The passenger had watched him closely, and foundthat his vision had been directed towards the rocks awash and the EastIsaac rock. Towards these objects he steered the boat. The Chateaugaywas at least three miles to the eastward of these rocks.
Christy watched the course of the boat long enough to satisfy himselfthat it was headed for the rocks, which were awash at high tide, thoughthey now looked like a minute island. There could be but one object invisiting this locality: and that must be to leave him on that desolatereef. The wind was still fresh from the north-west, and the spray wasdashed over the rocks in a manner which suggested that a human beingcould not remain long on it after the tide was high without beingwashed off. It was little better than murder to leave him there, and heknew very well that Captain Flanger would shed no tears if assured thathis troublesome prisoner was no more.
Christy decided that he would not be left on the reef, or even on thetop of the East Isaac, which might be a drier place, though hardly morecomfortable. It must have been Mr. Dawbin who had suggested the idea oflanding him on the reef, for there was no other place nearer than theGreat Isaac light. Captain Flanger had boasted that he sailed a vesselon a peaceful mission, and that the commander of the Chateaugay had nomore right to capture him than he had to murder him. But the prisonerknew that the Snapper was to run the blockade, and was bound to Mobile,for the captain had told him so himself.
The commander could now see the folly of his boast. He had not expectedto encounter a United States man-of-war in the Bahamas. His prisoner wasa naval officer, and would be a strong witness against him. Upon histestimony, and such other evidence as the cargo and other circumstancesmight supply, the captain of the steamer in the channel might feeljustified in making a prize of the Snapper. It was necessary, therefore,to remove this witness against him. As Christy had imagined, the captainhad not thought of his prisoner as a witness, and the mate had suggestedit to him.
"I suppose I need not ask you what is to be done with me, for that issufficiently apparent now," said Christy, more to engage the attentionof the mate than for any other reason.
"You can form your own conclusion," replied Mr. Dawbin.
"You intend to leave me on that reef ahead, and doubtless you expect meto be washed off and drowned, or starved to death there," added theprisoner. "I can't see why you take all this trouble when you could moreconveniently blow my brains out."
"The captain has promised not to harm you, Mr. Passford, and he willkeep his word," replied the mate with very ill grace.
"I consider it worse than murder to leave me on that reef, or any ofthese rocks, Mr. Dawbin. Since I understand your intention, I might aswell put a bullet through my own head, and save myself from all thesuffering in store for me," said Christy, assuming the manner of onerendered desperate by his situation. "Have you a revolver in yourpocket?"
"I have not a revolver in my pocket; and if I had I should not lend itto you to shoot yourself," replied the mate.
Mr. Dawbin had no revolver in his pocket, and that was all the prisonerhad been driving at. He was equally confident that neither of thesailors was armed, for he had looked them over to see if there was anyappearance of pistols in their pockets.
"You are making altogether too much fuss over this little matter, Mr.Passford. The captain desires you to remain on one of these rocks tillhe gets through his business with the commander of that steamer in thechannel, which is now headed for the Snapper," the mate explained. "Whenthat is finished we will take you off and proceed on our voyage."
"You had better put a bullet through my head."
"I don't think so. It is no great hardship for you to stay a few hourson that rock. You have had your dinner, and you will not starve todeath. I don't think you will have to stay there long, for that steamerdraws too much water to come in among these reefs, and she will be hardand fast on one of the shoals before she goes much farther."
"Possibly her captain knows what he is about as well as you do,"suggested Christy.
"I don't believe he does. There isn't a fathom of water on some of theseshoals."
But the Chateaugay kept on her course, though she proceeded very slowly.When she was off the Gingerbread Cay she stopped her screw, and she wasnear enough for the observer to see that she was lowering at least twoboats into the water. In a few minutes more they were seen pullingtowards the Snapper, whose boat was now very near the reef which hadbeen selected as the prisoner's abiding-place. A few minutes later thekeel ground on the coral rock.
"Jump ashore, both of you, and take the painter with you, my men," saidthe mate, when the boat stuck about six feet from the top of the ledge.
The two sailors waded to the highest part of the reef, and began to haulin on the painter; but they could not get it anything less than threefeet from the rock.
"We can't get the boat any nearer, Mr. Passford; but you are a vigorousyoung man, and you can easily leap to the rock," said Mr. Dawbin.
"Do you think you could leap to the ledge?" asked Christy, looking himsharp in the eye.
"I know I could."
"Let me see you try it, Mr. Dawbin," replied Christy, with his righthand on his revolver.
"Come, come! Mr. Passford. No fooling. I have no time to spare," growledthe mate.
"I am not fooling. As you consider it no hardship to pass a few hours onthat rock, I am going to trouble you to take my place there."
"No nonsense! I am not to be trifled with!"
"Neither am I," added the prisoner, as he drew out his weapo
n, and aimedit at the head of the mate. "You can take your choice between the rockand a ball from my revolver, Mr. Dawbin."
"Do you mean to murder me?" demanded the mate.
"I hope you will not compel me to do so harsh a thing as that. But nofooling! I have no time to spare. Jump on the rock, or I will firebefore you are ten seconds older!" said Christy resolutely.
"Come back into the boat, men!" shouted the officer.
"The first one that comes any nearer the boat is a dead man!" added theprisoner, "Five seconds gone, Mr. Dawbin."
The mate did not wait for anything more, but made the leap to the rock.He accomplished it so hastily that he fell when he struck the ledge; butthe impetus he had given the boat forced it from the rock, and sent it aconsiderable distance. Christy restored the revolver to his pocket, and,taking one of the oars, he sculled towards the Chateaugay, which was nowmuch nearer than the Snapper. The two boats from the man-of-war took nonotice of him, and perhaps did not see him.
Taking out his white handkerchief he attached it to the blade of one ofthe oars, and waved it with all his might in the direction of thesteamer. He set it up in the mast-hole through the forward thwart, andthen continued to scull. But his signal was soon seen, and a boat cameoff from the steamer.
"Jump on the rock or I will fire before you are ten seconds older." Page 276.]
"Boat ahoy!" shouted the officer in charge of the cutter.
"In the boat!" replied Christy, turning around as he suspended his laborwith the oar.
"Lieutenant Passford!" exclaimed Mr. Hackling, the second lieutenant ofthe Chateaugay. "Is it possible that it is you?"
"I haven't any doubt of it, Mr. Hackling, if you have," replied the lateprisoner, heartily rejoiced to find himself in good company again.
"But what does this mean? How do you happen to be here?" demanded theastonished lieutenant of the ship.
"I happen to be here because I have just played a sharp game. I was aprisoner on that steamer yonder, on my way to a rebel prison. But Ithink it is necessary that I should report immediately to CaptainChantor in regard to the character of the Snapper, which is the name ofthe vessel you have been chasing."
The Snapper's boat was taken in tow, and the crew of the cutter gave waywith a will. In due time Christy was received with the most unboundedastonishment by the commander on the deck of the Chateaugay.
"Where is Mr. Gilfleur? I hope that no accident has happened to him,"said the captain with deep anxiety on his face.
"None that I am aware of; but if you will excuse me from explanationsfor the present, I will state that the steamer on the bank is theSnapper, Captain Flanger, bound for Mobile; and the captain told me thathe intended to run the blockade."
"Mr. Hackling, take charge of the second cutter, and give Mr. Birdwingmy order to make a prize of that steamer, and bring her off to the deepwater."
It was quite dark when this order was executed.