Hair-Breadth Escapes: The Adventures of Three Boys in South Africa

by H. C. Adams

  CHAPTER THREE.

  STRANGE TIDINGS--PIRATES ON BOARD--A REVEL--A NARROW ESCAPE--DEATH OFJENNINGS.

  The boys were awakened next morning by the pitching and tossing of theship. A storm had come on during the night, which increased in violenceas the morning advanced. It was well for the _Hooghly_ that the freshhands had been taken on board, or she would have become whollyunmanageable. Frank and his friends, in their place of retreat, couldhear the shouts and cries on deck, the rolling of the barrels which hadbroken loose from their fastenings, and the washing of the heavy seaswhich poured over the gunwales. They made their breakfasts on some ofthe fruit and sausages with which they had filled their pockets on theprevious evening, and waited anxiously for old Jennings' arrival. Itwas late in the afternoon before he came, and when he did appear, hewould not hear of their venturing to show themselves for the present.

  "The cap'en wasn't altogether in a pleasant state of mind yesterday," heremarked, "but he's in a wuss to-day. He's found out that the most partof his crew ain't worth a tobacco stopper. I must say the Yankee made agood pick of it. He got away pretty nigh every smart hand we hadaboard. These new chaps is the best we has now."

  "New chaps?" asked Frank. "Has my uncle got any fresh hands?"

  "Picked up nineteen new 'uns at Port Prayo," replied Jennings. "Stoutnimble fellows they are, no doubt. But I don't greatly conceit themneither. They keep together, and hardly speak to any one aboard, exceptAndy Duncan and Joel White and Bob O'Hara and that lot. They're no goodeither, to my mind. Well, young gents, you must stay here till the galebreaks, as I guess it will to-morrow, or the next day, and then theskipper will be in good-humour again. I've brought you a heap ofbiscuits and some fruit and a keg of water. But I mustn't be comingdown here often, or we shall be found out I've tied the dog up in thefo'castle, or he'd be sniffing about after Mr Frank here, and mostlikely find him out."

  "Very well, Tom," said Frank, "then we'll wait here. But it's terriblydull work. Nothing to do but to sleep and smoke."

  "I think the skipper would let us off, if he knew what we'd gone throughduring the last twenty-four hours," observed Nick, yawning. "Well, Isuppose one must grin and bear it." So saying, he rolled himself intohis corner and endeavoured to lose the recollection of his_desagrements_ in sleep.

  The evening wore on heavily enough. It was past midnight before thegale began to lull, and the lads at length fell sound asleep. But theywere roused soon afterwards by a loud commotion on deck. Voices wereheard shouting and cursing; one or two shots were fired, and Frankfancied he could once or twice distinguish the clash of cutlasses. Butpresently the tumult died away, and the ship apparently resumed hercustomary discipline. Daylight came at last, glimmering faintly throughthe crevices of their prison, and the boys lay every minute expectingthe advent of the old quartermaster. But the morning passed, and theafternoon began to slip away, and still there was no sign of Jennings'sapproach. The matter was more than once debated whether they shouldissue from their hiding-place, which was now becoming intolerable tothem, altogether disregarding his advice; or at any rate send out one ofthe party to reconnoitre. But Ernest urged strongly the wisdom ofkeeping to their original resolution, and Frank after awhile sided withhim. It was agreed, however, that if Jennings did not appear on thefollowing morning, Warley should betake himself to the doctor's cabinand ask his advice.

  Accordingly they once more lay down to sleep, and were again awoke inthe middle of the night, but this time by a voice calling to them in asubdued tone through the barrels.

  Wilmore, who was the lightest sleeper, started up. "Who is that?" heasked.

  "It is I--Tom Jennings," was the answer. "Don't speak again, but pushout the barrel that stops the way into your crib there. I'll manage tocrawl in, I dare say, though I am a bit lame."

  Wilmore saw there was something wrong. He complied literally with Tom'srequest, and pushed the keg out in silence. Presently he heard the oldman making his way, stopping every now and then as if in pain. At lastthere came the whisper again: "Pull the barrel back into its place, I'vegot a lantern under my coat which I'll bring out when you've made allfast."

  Frank again obeyed his directions, having first enjoined silence on histwo companions, who were by this time wide awake. Then Jennings drewout his lantern, and lighted it by the help of a flint and steel. Asthe light fell on his face and figure, the boys could hardly suppress acry of alarm. His cheeks were as white as ashes, and in several placesstreaked with clotted blood. His leg too was rudely bandaged from theknee to the ankle, and it was only by a painful effort that he coulddraw it after him.

  "What's the matter, Tom?" exclaimed Frank. "How have you hurt your legin that manner?"

  "Hush! Mr Frank. We mustn't speak above a whisper. There's pirateson board. They've got possession of the ship."

  "Pirates!" repeated Wilmore. "What, have we been attacked, and myuncle--"

  "He's safe, Mr Frank--at least I hope so. Look here. You rememberthem foreign chaps as he brought aboard at Porto Prayo? It was all alie they told the cap'en, about their ship having been lost. They werepart of a crew of pirates--that's my belief, any way--as had heardCaptain Wilmore was short-handed, and wanted to get possession of hisship. They was no sooner aboard than they made friends with some of theworst of our hands--Andy and White and O'Hara and the rest on 'em--and Imake no doubt persuaded them to join 'em. About ten o'clock last night,when the men were nearly all in their berths, worn out with their workduring the gale, these foreigners crept up on deck, cut down and pitchedoverboard half a dozen of our chaps as were on deck, and then clappeddown the hatches."

  "That was what we heard, then," remarked Gilbert. "Were you on deck,Tom?"

  "Yes, sir, I was, and got these two cuts over the head and leg. By goodluck I fell close to the companion-ladder and was able at once to crawlto my berth, or I should have been pitched overboard. Well, as soon asit was daylight, the captain and the officers laid their heads togetherto contrive some means of regaining the ship; but, before they couldsettle anything, a vessel came in sight, and the fellows on deck hove toand let her come up--"

  "The pirate ship, I suppose, hey?" cried Frank.

  "Yes, sir, no other. She'd followed us beyond a doubt from Porto Prayo,and would have come up before, if it hadn't been for the gale. Therewasn't nothing to be done, of course. The pirates threatened thecaptain, if he didn't surrender at once, that they'd fire down thehatchways and afterwards pitch every mother's son overboard. And they'dhave done it too."

  "Not a doubt," assented Frank. "So my uncle surrendered?"

  "Yes, sir, he did, but he didn't like it. I must say, from what I'veheard of these fellows, I judged that they'd have thrown us all in tothe sea without mercy. But it seems White and O'Hara and the restwouldn't allow that, and insisted on it that every one, who chose it,should be allowed to leave the ship. I did 'em injustice, I must say."

  "What did they go in?" inquired Wilmore, a good deal surprised.

  "In the two biggest of the ship's boats, sir. You see we've been drivena long way south by that gale, and are not more than a few hundred milesfrom Ascension. They'll make for that, and with this wind they've agood chance of getting there in three or four days."

  "Are all the officers and passengers gone?" asked Warley.

  "Well, no, sir. Mr Lavie ain't gone. The men stopped him as he wasstepping into the boat, and declared he shouldn't leave the ship. Butall the rest is gone--no one's left except those who've joined themutineers, unless it's poor old Lion, who's still tied up in thefo'castle."

  "Why, _you_ haven't joined them, Jennings, to be sure?"

  "I! no, sir; but with my leg I couldn't have gone aboard the boats; andto be sure, I hadn't the chance, for I fainted dead off as soon as I'dreached my berth, and didn't come to till after they was gone. Andthere's my nevvy too--he wouldn't go, but chose to stay behind and nurseme. I hadn't the heart to scold the lad for it."

  "Sc
old him! I should think not," observed Warley.

  "Well, sir, it may get him into trouble if he's caught aboard this ship,and I expect he'll get into troubles with these pirates too. Butthere's no use fretting about what can't be helped. I'm thinking aboutyou young gents. You see if I'd been in my right senses when they wentaway, I should have told the cap'en about you, and he'd have taken youaway with him. But I wasn't sensible like, and no one else then knew asyou was aboard."

  "No one knew it _then_?" repeated Warley. "No one knows it now, Isuppose."

  "Yes, sir, Mr Lavie knows it, and Joe too; I told them an hour ago, andwe had a long talk about it. The doctor's resolved he won't stay in theship, and I suppose you don't want to stay neither?"

  "We stay, Tom!" replied Frank. "No, I should think not indeed, if wecan help it. But how are we to get away?"

  "This way, sir. These pirates have been choosing their officers to-day,and they've made O'Hara captain. They say he's the only man who's up tonavigating the ship. Anyhow, they've made him captain, and one of theforeign chaps, first mate. They're to have a great supper to-morrownight in honour of 'em, and most of the crew--pretty nigh all I shouldsay--will be drunk. Well, then, we claps a lot of things, that MrLavie has got together, aboard one of the boats--there are enough of usto lower her easy enough--and long before daylight you'll be out ofsight."

  "_You'll_ be out of sight. Don't you mean to go yourself, Jennings?"asked Frank.

  "My leg won't let me, Mr Frank. I couldn't get down the ship's side;and besides, I ain't in no danger. My old messmates won't let me behurt, nor Joe Cobbes neither. I'd best stay here till my leg's right.Mr Lavie says it wants nothing but rest, and a little washing now andthen. No, sir; Joe and I would rather stay on board here and take thefirst opportunity of leaving the ship that offers. Mr Lavie and youall 'ull bear witness how it happened."

  "That we will, Tom," said Warley. "Well, then, if I understand you,we've nothing to do but to remain quiet until to-morrow night, and youand Mr Lavie will make all the preparations?"

  "Yes, sir, that's right. Stay quietly here till you've notice thateverything's ready."

  "But I don't like you having all the risk and trouble, Tom," saidWilmore.

  "You'd do as much for me, sir, and more too, I dare say, if you had thechance. Besides, I am anxious you should get away safe, because you'remy witnesses that I and Joe had no hand in this. I shall get well allthe sooner, when you're gone."

  "All right, Jennings," said Warley. "And now I suppose you want to getout of this again?"

  "Yes, sir; you must help me. Getting out will be worse than getting in,I am afraid."

  The lantern was extinguished, the keg removed, and with much pain anddifficulty the old man was helped out. The next twenty-four hours werepassed in the utmost anxiety by the three lads, who would hardly allowthemselves even to whisper to one another, for fear of being overheardby the pirates. All the morning they could hear the preparations forthe feast going on. Some casks in the lower deck, which, as they knew,contained some unusually fine wine, were broken open, and the bottlescarried on deck. Planks also were handed up to make tables and benches.From the conversation of the men employed in the work, they learnedthat the feast was to take place in the forecastle, none of the cabinsbeing large enough to hold the entire party. Once they caught a mentionof Mr Lavie's name, and learned that he had been all night inattendance on Amos Wood, the sailor who had been attacked by fever atPorto Prayo, and that the man had died that morning, and been thrownoverboard. The doctor, it was said, had now turned in for a long sleep.The boys guessed that his day would be differently employed. About sixo'clock in the evening, everything seemed to be in readiness. The trampof feet above was heard as the men took their places at table, and wasfollowed by the rattling of plates and knives and forks, and the oathsand noisy laughter of the revellers. These grew more vociferous as theevening passed on, and after an hour or two the uproar was heightened bythe crash of glass, and the frequent outbreak of quarrels among theguests, which were with difficulty suppressed by their more sobercomrades. Then benches were overturned, and the noise of bodies fallingon the deck was heard, as man after man became stupidly intoxicated.The uproar gradually died out, until nothing was audible, but drunkensnores, or the unsteady steps of some few of the sailors, who weresupposed to be keeping watch.

  It was about two hours after midnight when the expected summons came.Frank crept out first, followed by Nick and Ernest. They found MrLavie and Joe Cobbes waiting for them.

  "Everything is ready, Ernest," whispered the doctor. "We've put as manyprovisions and arms into the jolly-boat as we can safely carry; but youhad better take a brace of pistols apiece. There are some one or two ofthe men who are the worse for drink, but still sober enough to know whatthey are doing, and we may have a tussle. Put on these caps andjackets, and come as quick as you can. The jolly-boat is on thestarboard side, near the stern. She's not in the water yet, buteverything is ready for lowering her. Quiet's the word."

  The boys obeyed. They crept cautiously on deck, pulling the caps overtheir foreheads, and imitating as well as they could the movements ofdrunken men. They soon reached the jolly-boat, where old Jennings waswaiting for them. The helm had been lashed, but every ten minutes or soone of the watch came aft to see that all was right. Jennings hadunfastened the lashings and taken the rudder, telling the first man whocame up that he would see to it for the rest of the watch. The manwillingly enough accepted his services, and this skilful manoeuvre savedthem for the time from further interruption.

  "Lower quickly, Mr Lavie," he whispered in the doctor's ear. "AndyDuncan has had liquor enough to make half a dozen men drunk, but heknows what he's doing for all that. He's keeping an eye on the ship,and may be down upon us any minute."

  He was obeyed promptly and in silence. The boat was lowered withoutattracting notice. Warley was the first to slip down the rope, and wassafely followed by Nick. Frank was just climbing over the bulwark whena man staggered up, and accused them with a volley of drunken oaths ofintending to desert.

  "No, no, Andy," said Jennings quickly, "no one means to desert. There'sa man overboard, and we're lowering a boat to pick him up. Make haste,my lad," he continued, addressing Wilmore, "or he'll be too far asternfor us to help him."

  Frank promptly took the cue, and vanished over the side. For a momentDuncan was staggered by the old quartermaster's readiness, but the nexthe caught a momentary glimpse of Frank's features.

  "Hallo, that's young Wilmore, that's the captain's nevvy, as you saidhad been left behind," he shouted. "There's some devilry here! Help,my lads, there!" He drew a pistol as he spoke, and fired at Mr Lavie'shead, who was attempting to seize him.

  His nerves were unsteady from drink, and the bullet missed its mark; butit struck Joe Cobbes on the temple, who fell on the instant stone dead.Some of the men, startled by the pistol shot, came reeling up from theforecastle.

  The doctor struck Andy a heavy blow with the butt end of his pistol, andthe man dropped insensible on the deck. He then turned to Jennings."You must go with us now, Tom," he said, "or they will certainly murderyou. Go, I tell you, or I'll stay behind myself."

  The old man made a great effort and rolled himself over the bulwarks,reaching the boat by the help of the rope, and the hands of the boysbelow, though he fainted from pain and exhaustion immediatelyafterwards.

  Mr Lavie fired at the nearest man, who dropped with a broken leg. Theothers hung back alarmed and stupefied. Lavie skimmed down the rope,and disengaged her before they had recovered their senses. Just at thismoment there was a heavy splash close beside them.

  "Hallo!" cried Ernest, "one of the fellows has fallen overboard. Wemust take him in. We can't leave him to drown."

  "It isn't any of the crew," said Frank. "It's old Lion. I can see hishead above water. He has broken his fastenings and followed us. Haulhim aboard, Nick."

  The dog was soon got in, and Lavie and Warley
, seizing the oars, rowedaway from the ship. An attempt was made to lower a boat, and one or twoshots were fired. But the crew were in no condition for work of anykind, and in a few minutes the _Hooghly_ was lost sight of in thedarkness. Lavie and Wilmore, who understood the management of a boat,hoisted the sail and took the rudder.

  Meanwhile, Warley and Gilbert were endeavouring to restore the oldquartermaster from his swoon. They threw water in his face, and pouredsome brandy from a flask down his throat, but for a long time withoutany result. At last the boat was in proper trim, and Mr Lavie set atliberty to attend to his patient. Alarmed at the low state of thepulse, and the failure of the efforts to restore consciousness, helighted his lantern, and then discovered that the bottom of the boat wasdeluged with blood. The bandages had been loosened in the struggle toget on board, and the wound had broken out afresh. The surgeon saw thatthere was now little hope of saving the old man's life. He succeeded,however, in stanching the flow of blood, and again bound up the wound,directing that Jennings should be laid in as comfortable a position aspossible on a heap of jackets in the bow.

  This had not been long effected, when morning appeared. Those who havewitnessed daybreak in the tropics, will be aware how strange andbrilliant a contrast it presents to that of northern climates. The daydoes not slowly gather in the East, changing by imperceptible degreesfrom the depth of gloom to the fulness of light, but springs as it werewith a single effort into brilliant splendour--an image of the greatCreator's power when He created the earth and skies--not toiling throughlong ages of successive processes and formations, as some would have usbelieve, but starting at one bound from shapeless chaos into life andharmony.

  The doctor cast an anxious look at the horizon, and was relieved to findthat the _Hooghly_ was nowhere visible. "Well out of that," hemuttered. "If we could only bring poor Jennings round, I shouldn't somuch regret what has happened. But I am afraid that can't be." Heagain felt the old man's pulse, and found that he was now consciousagain, though very feeble.

  "Is that Mr Lavie?" he said, opening his eyes. "I'm glad to see you'vecome off safe, sir. I hope the young gentlemen are safe too."

  "All three of them, Jennings, thank you," was the answer; "not one ofthem has so much as a scratch on him."

  "That's hearty, sir. I am afraid poor Joe--it's all over with him,isn't it?"

  "I am afraid so, Tom. But he didn't suffer. The ball struck him righton the temple, and he was gone in a moment."

  "Yes, sir, and he was killed doing his duty. Perhaps if he'd remainedamong them villains, he'd have been led astray by them. It's best as itis, sir. I only hope you may all get safe to land."

  "And you too, Tom," added Frank, who with his two companions had joinedthem unperceived.

  "No, Mr Frank, I shall never see land--never see the sun set again, Iexpect. But I don't know that I'm sorry for that I'm an old man, sir,and my nevvy was the last of my family, and I couldn't have lived verylong any way."

  "No," said Mr Lavie, "and you too have met your death in the dischargeof your duty. When my time comes, I hope I may be able to say thesame."

  "Ah, doctor, it's little good any on us can do in this world. It's wellthat there's some one better able to bear the load of our sins than weare! But I want to say a word or two, sir, while I can. I advised you,you'll remember, to run straight for the nearest point of the coast,which I judge is about eight hundred miles off. But I didn't know thenwhere them pirates meant to take the _Hooghly_ to. Their officers onlylet it out last night over their drink. They were to make the mouth ofthe Congo river, where they've one of their settlements, or whateverthey call them. Now, that happens to be just the point you'd be runningfor, and they'd be pretty sure to overhaul you before you reached it.You'd better now try to reach the Cape, sir. It is a long way off--agood fortnight's sail, I dare say, even with this wind. But there'sfood and water enough to last more than that time; and besides, you mayfall in with an Indiaman."

  "We'll take your advice, you may be sure, Jennings."

  "I'm glad to hear that, sir. It makes my mind more easy. Make for thecoast, Dr Lavie, but don't try for it north of Cape Frio--that's myadvice, sir; and I know these latitudes pretty well by this time."

  "We'll take care, Jennings," said Warley. "And now, isn't thereanything we can do for you?"

  "You can say a prayer or two with me, Mr Ernest," replied the old manfeebly. "You can't do anything else, that I knows of."

  Warley complied, and all kneeling down, he repeated the Lord's Prayer,and one or two simple petitions for pardon and support, in which oldJennings feebly joined. Before the sun had risen high in the heavenshis spirit had passed away. His body was then reverently committed tothe deep, and the survivors, in silence and sorrow, sailed away from thespot.