Afloat at Last

by John C. Hutcheson

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

  THE "BLAZER" TO THE RESCUE.

  "Hist!" whispered Ching Wang softly, catching hold of my legs as I camedown the rope to prevent my feet making a noise on touching the bottomof the sampan; while he carefully guided me into a seat in the stern-sheets. "Makee quiet, tyfong watchee. If catchee no go, all uptopside!"

  I hardly needed this caution; although, after receiving it I was asstill as any mouse suddenly finding itself in the company of a catunsuspicious of its presence could possibly be.

  It was quite dark now, the hull of the ship looming faintly above us, abig black shadow, and the water was without a glimmer near, save where,just ahead, the light of a flare-up, which the pirates had kindled onthe forecastle, shone out over the sea there, besides illuminating theisland beach--where a number of black figures could be seen moving aboutopening some casks, which, Ching Wang explained to me, he had assistedin getting up from the forehold, so as to distract their attention fromus for awhile; for, knowing that these casks contained salt pork, andbeing acquainted with the predilections of his countrymen for thisdainty, he was certain they would have an orgy before proceeding tofurther hostilities.

  This impression of the Chinaman proved to be quite correct; for not onlydid the pirates rout out the salt pork, but they immediately proceededto cook it in Ching Wang's coppers, which were full of boiling waterwhich he had got ready in the first instance for the purpose of throwingover the gentlemen as they boarded the ship. He had, however,subsequently changed his mind on this point, thinking that by adoptingthe guileless subtlety of his race and pretending to side with ourenemies he might in the end be of more effectual service to us.

  Of course the Chinaman did not mention to his new allies the originaluse for which the coppers were intended, as such candour on his partmight have led to his getting into "hot water" and so spoilt his littleplot, the complete success of which was further assured by hispurloining Tim Rooney's private bottle of rum from his cabin in thedeck-house, and bestowing it with his benediction on the stalwartPortuguese captain of the pirates. This gentleman, being partial to theliquor, enjoyed himself to such an extent over the unexpected treasure-trove, keeping it selfishly for his own gratification, that he was morethan "half-seas-over" ere his rascally fellow cut-throats had beguntheir pork feast; so, he was equally disinclined with them for furtheractive operations against the ship, the captain and crew of which heregarded for the moment in a most benevolent spirit on account of theirhaving saved him the trouble of making them captive, probably at theexpense of several lives on his side, by locking themselves in the cabinbelow of their own accord!

  I got out all this by degrees from Ching Wang, as, paddling in the mostnoiseless fashion across the lagoon where it was darkest, and carefullyavoiding the other junks anchored out in the middle, he directed thecourse of the sampan towards the opening in the reef. This became allthe more distinct as we got near its edge from the phosphorescentglitter of the surf breaking over the coral ledge, excepting at theplace where the Silver Queen had steered through the rocks and breakersand entered the calm sheet of water within.

  The pirates ashore on the island and on board the junks were all toobusy to notice us, and indeed their eyes must have been wonderfullyacute to have done so through the darkness that enveloped sky and seaalike, swallowing our little barque up in its folds; so, when we gotwell outside the reef and beyond the line of breakers Ching Wang put upa small sprit-sail, which he had been thoughtful enough to take out ofthe long-boat when he had secured the sampan, rigging it on top of oneof his oars, and stepping it forward like a lug.

  We then kept the wind which we knew was south-west on our port hand andpretty well abeam, steering as nearly as we could guess to the northwardand westward, according to Captain Gillespie's directions to me; forthere was not light sufficient yet to see my little pocket-compass so asto take the proper bearings for making a straight course to fetch themouth of the Canton river.

  When daylight came, fortunately, not a trace of the reef or the ship andpirate craft could be seen, though Ching Wang peered over our starboardquarter, where we ought to have sighted any trace of them, while Ishinned up the little mast too for a better look-out.

  Nothing was to be seen, not even a passing sail--only the rolling seafar and wide as far as the eye could reach, now lit up by the early dawnand rose-coloured in the east, where the sun, just rising above thehorizon, was flooding the heavens with crimson tints, that presentlychanged to gold and then gave place to their normal hue of azure. Thisthe ocean reflected with a glorious blue, seeming to be but one hugesapphire, except where crystal foam flecked it here and there from thetopping of some impatient wavelet not content to roll along in peacetill it reached the shore.

  I could, of course, look at my compass now, and I noticed that bykeeping the wind abeam we had been working in the right direction duringthe night, the head of the sampan now facing pretty nearly nor'-nor'-west, "and a little westerly too," as Tim Rooney enjoined on me atparting.

  Ching Wang told me in his pigeon English that we must have already runfrom thirty to forty miles--"one hunled li," he said; so, we hadtherefore accomplished a quarter of our journey towards the coast.

  The sun rose higher and higher, until it was almost over our heads atnoon, when the wind dropping I found it very hot. Besides thediscomfort of this the fact of our not getting on so fast as previouslymade me anxious about those we had left behind, although the Chinamantold me the pirates would not be likely to start fighting again until itwas getting towards evening, which was their favourite time for attack,as they always kept quiet in the day.

  They would, he said, be especially afraid now of making a row in the daymore than at any other time, for fear of the sound of the fray beingheard by the gunboat, which they knew was cruising about near.

  "I only wish we could see it now, Ching Wang," I cried, thinking thatbefore we got to the Canton river and returned with the man-of-war, allour shipmates might be murdered and the poor Silver Queen set fire to bythe ruffians after pillaging her, as they would be certain to do whenCaptain Gillespie and the brave fellows with him could hold out nolonger. "I only wish we could sight her now."

  "You waitee, lilly pijjin," said he. "Bimeby soon comee."

  It was dreary work, though, waiting, for we were going along very slowlyon the torpid sea, which seemed to swelter in the heat as the breezefell; but about two o'clock in the afternoon the south-west windspringing up again, we once more began dancing on through the water at aquicker rate, the sampan making better progress by putting her rightbefore wind and slacking off the sheet of our transformed sprit-sail.An hour later, Ching Wang, who had gone into the bows to look out,leaving me at the tiller, suddenly called out:

  "Hi, lilly pijjin!" he shouted, gesticulating and showing moreexcitement than he had ever displayed before, his disposition generallybeing phlegmatic in the extreme. "One big smokee go long. Me see threepiecee bamboo walkee, chop chop!"

  I rose up in the stern-sheets equally excited; and there, to my joy, Isaw right ahead and crossing our beam, a small three-masted vessel,showing the white ensign and blood cross of Saint George, the mostbeautiful flag in the world, I thought.

  It was the gunboat, without doubt.

  She had sighted us long before we noticed her; and seeing from ouraltering our course now that we desired to speak her, she downed herhelm and was soon alongside the sampan.

  Breathless, I clambered on board, a smart blue-jacket with "HMS Blazer"printed in gold letters on the ribbon of his straw hat, handing me thesidelines of the accommodation ladder, which reached far enough down forme to step on to it from the gunwale of the sampan; and when thelieutenant in command of the gunboat, a handsome fellow like Mr Mackay,addressed me, I could not at first speak from emotion.

  But my mission was too important to be delayed, and I soon found myvoice; a very few words being sufficient to explain all thecircumstances of the case to the lieutenant.

  "Full speed a
head!" he called out to the officer on the bridge, as soonas he had heard me out, directing also the blue-jacket who had receivedme at the entry port to pass the word down that he wanted to speak tothe gunner; while Ching Wang was invited to come on board and the sampanveered astern by its painter and taken in tow.

  The lieutenant turned to me when these orders had been given, althoughhe did not keep me half a minute waiting; and, calling me by my name,which I had told him, said, "We shall be up to the pirates beforenightfall, Mr Graham, for the old Blazer can go ten knots on anemergency like this. I've no doubt we'll be in plenty of time to rescueyour shipmates before they have another brush with the pirates."

  He then invited me to go below and have some refreshment; but I was tooanxious about those on board the poor Silver Queen to care about eatingthen. However, I took a nice long drink of some delicious lemonade withpleasure, for I was so thirsty that my tongue had swollen to the roof ofmy mouth; while Ching Wang, who had recovered his usual placid andimperturbable demeanour, accepted the hospitalities of the crew withgreat complacency, his emotion not affecting his appetite at any rate.

  If I did not care about eating, though, I was highly interested in thepreparation of the Blazer presently for action, her five-inch breech-loaders being loaded with Palliser shell and the hoppers of her machine-guns filled; while the crew with rifles in their hands and cutlasses bytheir side mustered at quarters.

  "I think, Mr Graham," said the lieutenant, noticing my admiring gaze,"we'll be able to teach your Malay friends something of a lesson--eh?"

  "I hope so, sir," I replied. "I don't think there's much thinking aboutit, though. I'm only afraid they'll run away before we can reach them."

  "No fear of that," said he laughing. "The Blazer, as I've told you, cantravel fast when we want her; and if she's not fast enough, why, thatgun there on the sponson forrud can send a speedier messenger in advanceof her, to tell the pirates she's coming!"

  "Will it reach them inside the reef, sir?"

  "Reach them inside the reef!" he repeated after me in a quizzing sort ofway. "Of course it will, my lad, and further too. That gun will carryseven miles at an elevation of less than forty-five degrees!"

  "Oh, crickey!" I exclaimed; whereat he and the other officers laughedat my astonishment, which my face betrayed, of course, as usual. Thecrew, though, who were near were too well trained to laugh, exceptaccording to orders. Being men-o'-war's men, they only smiled at myejaculation.

  It was getting on for sunset when we sighted the Pratas shoal, the mastsof the Silver Queen being seen much further off than the reef, althoughI forgot to mention that her sails of course had been furled after shegrounded; and, as we got nearer and nearer, we did not hear any noise ofrifle shots, or the junks' matchlocks, as would have been the case ifthey had been fighting again--my comrades I was certain would diedearly.

  I hoped that they had not begun yet; for I could not bear to think thattheir fate might have been sealed in my absence, and all those bravefellows, perhaps, been butchered by the pirates!

  Closing in upon the reef and making for the entrance on the south-westside, we noticed that boats were passing to and fro between the junksand the ship.

  Just then a puff of smoke came from the stern of the ship, followed bythe sound of a rifle shot in the distance, after which followed aregular fusillade of musketry fire.

  The lieutenant had meanwhile not been idle, the man-of-war's launch andpinnace having been lowered with their nine-pounders in the bows, allprimed and loaded; and, on my getting after him in the pinnace, he gavethe order to pull in towards the scene of action, the gunboat meanwhilebringing her big Armstrongs to bear on the fleet of junks in the middleof the lagoon, only waiting until we got well up to the ship beforefiring so as to take the pirates by surprise.

  I cannot describe the feeling I had as we dashed forward, the thought ofcheckmating the bloodthirsty scoundrels and saving my shipmates beingtoo great to be expressed by words.

  Ching Wang, whom the lieutenant allowed to come in the pinnace with me,also looked wonderfully excited again, for one generally sophlegmatic:--he seemed really to turn his back on the traditions of hisrace.

  We, though, rushed forwards; and, when close to the Silver Queen, thelieutenant ordered the captain of the gun in the bows to "fire!" into ajunk that was coming round under her stern.

  "Bang!" and a shell burst right in the centre of the junk's bamboo deck,sending forty of the villains at least to Hades, for she was crowdedwith men. A wild yell of surprise came from the pirates at the reportof the gun, succeeded by a faint hurrah from those on board the SilverQueen. This told us that Captain Gillespie and the rest now knew, fromthe second report caused by the bursting of the shell, that theirrescuers had at last arrived, in the very nick of time.

  Then a big boom rolled in from seaward as the gunboat opened fire withher five-inch Armstrong, shell and shot being pitched into the group ofjunks as fast as those on board the Blazer could load; the launch andpinnace, with Ching Wang and myself in the latter, pulling to the shipand boarding her on both sides at the same time.

  Captain Gillespie and all the hands who had been intrenched in thecabin, now burst out of their prison; and after this, those pirates whowere not cut down by the men's cutlasses or shot, surrendered atdiscretion, as did also their brother scoundrels on the island and inthe junks, who were all caught completely in a trap, there being nocreeks here for them to smuggle their boats into, nor mountainfastnesses to retreat to, the gunboat commanding the only way of escapeopen to them, and her launch and pinnace within the lagoon having themat their mercy.

  "Begorra I am plaized to say you ag'in, Misther Gray-ham, sorr!" criedTim Rooney, wringing my hand again and again as Mr Mackay released it--all the poor fellows who had been relieved from almost instant death bythe coming of the gunboat seeming to think that I had brought abouttheir rescue, whereas, of course it was Ching Wang who ought to bethanked, if anybody had to be praised, beyond Him above who had sent uson our mission and brought the Blazer up in time. Tim, too, was evenmore absurd about the whole matter than any of the rest.--"Bedad, you'vesaved us all, sorr," said he again and again; and I could only get himoff this unpleasant tack by asking what further damage the pirates haddone after I left.

  They had not done much, he said, their leader having only just succeededin breaking open the main-hold, and just beginning another attack on thecabin, when the report of the shell from the Blazer's pinnace as itburst made the pirates scramble overboard for their lives.

  "But, sure, I caught that chafe villain av theirs, at last, MistherGray-ham."

  "Oh, did you!" I cried. "That chap in the red sash?"

  "Aye, I kilt him as de'd as mutton jist now by the dor av me cabin inthe deck-house, where, would ye belaive me, sorr, the thaife wordrainin' the last dhrop av grog out av me rhum bottle!"

  "He didn't steal it though," said I, telling him all about Ching Wang'splot for making the rascal drunk; whereat Tim was highly delighted,patting the Chinaman on the back as the latter blandly smiled and beamedupon him, not understanding a word he said. After this matter wassettled I bethought me of my bird "Dick."--"And how about the starling?"

  "Oh, that's all roight," said Tim. "He scramed out `Bad cess to ye'whin he saw the ugly pirate cap'en fall, an' sure, that wor as sinsibleas a Christian."

  Everybody had got off pretty well, the majority only having a few slightscratches and flesh wounds; all, save, of course, the three of the handswho had been killed on deck in the first attack, and poor Mr Saunders,who, Tim said, was sinking fast.

  He did not die yet awhile, though, having a wonderful constitution andpersisting in eating and living where another man would have expiredlong since.

  And the ship? She wasn't lost after all, as might have been thought,albeit ashore there on Prata Island and inside the reef. Oh, no. MrMackay managed it all, and surprised everybody by the way he did it--making even Lieutenant Toplift of the Blazer open his eyes.

  I'
ll tell you what he did.--Our chief mate battened down two of thepirate junks, making them water-tight, and then, weighting them withheavy ballast till their decks were almost flush with the water, he madethem fast under the bows of the ship.

  The ballast was then taken out of them, when, of course, as they floatedhigher they lifted the Silver Queen; and a stream anchor being then gotout astern she was floated out into the lagoon, where on subsequentexamination she was found pretty water-tight below and staunch and soundall round.

  To get her out of the lagoon, the passage through the reef was wellbuoyed and the ship lightened of her cargo, a large portion of which wastaken out of her and stowed in the junks.

  She was then kedged over the reef, as Tim Rooney had suggested to MrMackay in the first instance as the best plan; the Blazer's officers andcrew helping us to get her outside, and afterwards assisting us inloading her up again.

  Then, our dear old barquey sailed for Hongkong, where she put in fortemporary repair so as to be able to prosecute the remainder of hervoyage, and here poor Mr Saunders died at last, and was laid to rest in"Happy Valley," the English burying-place, that has such a poetical nameand such sad surroundings!

  We were detained nearly a month here docking, and during our stayCaptain Gillespie rejoiced all hands by rewarding them for their pluckin fighting and floating the ship again with the present of a month'swages for a spree ashore. "Old Jock" could well afford to be liberal,too; for a native speculator gave him a better price for the balance ofhis marmalade than he would have realised if he had fed the men on itthroughout our home voyage.

  Our repairs and refit being at last completed we set sail for Shanghai,casting anchor in the Yang-tse-kiang eight days exactly after ourleaving Hongkong.