Dutch the Diver; Or, A Man's Mistake

by George Manville Fenn

  STORY ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

  RASP'S ADVENTURE.

  "Quick, my lads, with a will," shouted Rasp. "Haul! Run him up."

  For the old diver had suddenly awakened to the fact that something waswrong below, and at his command the men holding the life-line ranforward along the deck, drawing Dutch rapidly to the surface, wherehalf-a-dozen willing hands, the Cuban's among them, seized him and laidhim on the deck, where Rasp rapidly unscrewed the helmet and exposed theyoung man's face, blue and distorted with strangulation.

  "Quick! some more of these things off," exclaimed Mr Meldon.

  "You let him alone," growled Rasp. "I'll bring him to in a jiffy;" and,rudely elbowing the doctor aside, he seized Dutch's arms, pumped them upand down a few times, and then forcibly pressing on his breast produceda kind of artificial respiration, for at the end of a minute Dutchsighed, and then rapidly began to recover.

  As he commenced breathing more regularly, those surrounding became awarethat Hester was trying to get to his side, for, unnoticed in theexcitement, she had recovered her senses, and then, pale and sick atheart, crept to the group, where she dreaded to look upon the form ofhim she loved lying dead.

  A look of joy, succeeded by one of intense despair, crossed her face asshe knelt down by Dutch's head, waiting to see his eyes open and to hearhis words, as she shudderingly recalled the promise she had made to savehis life.

  She was so behind him that he did not see her, when at last he openedhis eyes, and gazed wildly about him as if not comprehending where hewas, and directly after he placed his hands to his face as if to feelthe helmet.

  His eyes opened more widely then, and Rasp held the cup of a brandyflask to his lips.

  "Take a sup o' this here, Mr Pug," he said in his rough way.

  Dutch obeyed without a word, and his face began to resume its naturalaspect.

  "That was a near touch, Mr Dutch, sir," growled the old fellow. "Youwould stop down too long."

  "Too long?" said Dutch faintly, as he tried to sit up.

  "No, no, be still for a few minutes," said the doctor, who had beenpushing up the india-rubber bands of his sleeve, and feeling thesufferer's pulse, to Rasp's great disgust.

  "Who said I stopped down too long?" said Dutch faintly, as Hestercrouched at his head, with her hands to her face.

  "I did," growled Rasp. "You shouldn't have overdone it the first time."

  "I did not stay down too long," said Dutch angrily, but in rather afeeble way. "The supply of air was stepped."

  "What!" cried Rasp, fiercely.

  "I say the wind was stopped."

  "Hark at him," cried Rasp, looking round from one to the other. "Harkat that, Mister Parkley, and you, too, captain. Why, I sooperintendedit all myself, and the supply never stopped for a moment."

  Hester shuddered.

  "Here he goes and overdoes it, gets fightin' sharks, and stopping downabout twiced as long as he should the first time, and then says thepumping was checked."

  "You must have got the tube kinked," said Dutch, sitting up. "Take offthese weights."

  "_You_ must, you mean," said Rasp, unhooking the leaden pads from breastand back; and while he was so engaged Hester looked wildly round in adesperate resolve to tell all, but her eyes dropped directly as sheshuddered, for just at her husband's feet stood Laure, and she felt thatshe dare not tell the secret that seemed to be driving her mad.

  "Here you goes right under the schooner, and must have hitched the chubein the ladder; that's what you must have done."

  "There, it's of no use to argue with you, Rasp," said Dutch. "I'm allright again now, thank you, doctor; but I'm sure of one thing: thesupply of air was stopped somehow, and I've had a bit of a shaking."

  "And I'm sure it just wasn't," growled Rasp. "Everything went just asit should go. There!"

  Dutch rose without assistance, and as he did so Hester, with a sigh ofmisery, shrank away, feeling that she could never look upon his faceagain.

  "But I have saved his life," she sighed to herself. "I have saved hislife;" and then, shuddering with horror, and asking herself whether thetime had not come when she had better die, she crept slowly to the cabinstairs, descended, and, sinking into a chair by her cot, sat there andsobbed as if her heart would break.

  Dutch smiled with pleasure as he stood up and found that he could take afew steps here and there without feeling his brain reel, for Oakum tookoff his old straw hat, waved it round his head, and the men gave ahearty cheer.

  "It weer too bad o' you though to stop his wind Rasp, owd mate," growledOakum, in the old diver's ear.

  Rasp looked daggers at him, and then proceeded to wipe and polish thehelmet, from which he had been removing some grains of sand.

  "Have a cigar, Mr Pugh," said Wilson, holding out his case, and thenshaking hands, an example followed by Mr Parkley, the captain, and JohnStudwick, who stood looking at him with admiration.

  "I have done nothing but shake your hands for the last ten minutes, MrPugh," said the doctor, warmly, "but we may as well shake hands again,though really our old friend Rasp here, with his rough-and-ready means,was principal attendant."

  "Humph!" growled Rasp, "I do get the credit for that, then. Stopped thewind, indeed! Here, you nigger, just leave that pump alone."

  This last to 'Pollo, who was curiously inspecting the machine, and whostrutted off with his opal eyes rolling and his teeth grinningindignation at being called a nigger.

  "Well, Pugh," said Mr Parkley, who so far had been able to restrain hisimpatience, but who longed to hear the result of the investigation, "Imust congratulate you on your brave encounter with the shark."

  "And wanted me to haul you up," growled Rasp.

  "There was not much bravery in it," said Dutch, who was now smoking ascomposedly as if nothing had occurred, while the water that had streamedfrom his india-rubber suit was fast drying on the sun-baked deck. "Iwas well-armed; my enemy was not."

  "Wasn't he?" growled Rasp, giving a vicious rub at the helmet. "What doyou call them teeth? But, then, we divers are not skeered about a sharkor two."

  "Do you feel well enough to talk about your descent, Pugh?" said MrParkley.

  "I feel well enough to go down again," said Dutch smiling; "but thistime I must have a sharp-pointed iron rod to probe the sand."

  "I'm a-going down next," said Rasp. "It's my turn."

  "But what is your opinion? What have you made out?" said Mr Parkley.

  "Almost nothing," replied Dutch. "If there is anything below there, itis buried deep in sand, which, I think, we must blast away, for it runsback as fast as it is dug."

  "Then you found absolutely nothing," said Mr Parkley, while the otherswaited eagerly for the young man's answer.

  "Unless this proves to be something," replied Dutch, taking the shellymass from his net basket and handing it to his partner.

  Mr Parkley received it with trembling hands.

  "It is heavy," he said, turning it over and over. "Here Rasp, a hammer,quick."

  The old fellow handed a bright steel-headed tool, with the ordinaryhammer head on one side, but a sharp wedge-shaped edge at the other, andwith this Mr Parkley chipped away the small barnacles and other shellsconglomerated together, and at about the fourth stroke laid baresomething bright and shining.

  "My dear Dutch," cried his partner, dropping the hammer, "we are right.Look--silver!"

  He wrung Dutch's hand vigorously, as the young man's face flushed withpleasure; and then, picking up the hammer, he struck off the remainderof the shelly concretion, and passed round a blackened wedge-shapedingot of about a couple of pounds weight, and undoubtedly of finesilver.

  "Here, lay hold of the legs of this soot," cried Rasp eagerly, as heseized the second suit which lay ready on a seat. "I'm a-going downdreckly."

  "We'd better wait first, and make some definite plan of action," saidMr Parkley, who was nearly as excited as his old assistant.

  "No, we hadn't," said Rasp, shuffling into th
e india-rubber garments."Only just have that there ladder shifted over to port. You can makeyour plans while I go down tother side and feels about with the ironrod. You two's administrative; I'm zeketive. I shan't be happy unlessI has a go in."

  The point was yielded, the ladder shifted over to the other side, and ina few minutes Rasp had taken the keen knife and stuck it in his belt,thrown down a long iron rod, and declared himself ready.

  "I shall set to work where you left that there spade," he said. "You'llsee as the wind ain't stopped, Mr Parkley, sir?"

  "Of course," was the reply.

  "And you'll see as the chube ain't in no kinks, Mr Pug;" he continued,with a dry chuckling laugh, "and so will I."

  "You may laugh, Rasp," said Dutch, good-humouredly, "but you will notalter my opinion about it at all."

  "I know that, Mr Pug; I know that," he chuckled.

  "But you haven't got the life-line attached."

  "Yah! I don't want no life-lines," said the old fellow. "I've beendown too many times."

  "You don't go down without, Rasp," said Mr Parkley, authoritatively.

  "And why not?" said the stubborn old fellow.

  "Because if you like to throw your life away, I don't choose to spareyou at such a time."

  The old fellow assumed his helmet, growling and grumbling the wholetime, and then, all being ready, the look-out was arranged once more forsharks, Mr Parkley held a cartridge or two ready, and Dutch took themanagement of the descent, watchfully minding that the tube and lineswere clear. Then Rasp went down, to be seen directly after thrustingthe rod here and there, and soon after commencing digging in the slow,laborious way inevitable in so dense a medium.

  The water was disturbed by the continuous fountain of exhausted airbubbles that rose rapidly to the surface, but all the same Rasp'smotions could be pretty well followed, and they were scanned with greateagerness by all on deck, when suddenly the cry of sharks was raised,and the black fins of a couple of monsters were seen slowly coming upastern.

  In an instant Mr Parkley ran aft, and after seeing that his wire coilwould be perfectly free, he threw the cartridge with such precision thatit fell between the two fish, and on the wire being applied to thebattery, there was a dull report, a heavy column of water flew up inwhich could be seen the forms of the sharks, and as the commotionsubsided they were seen swimming feebly in a stunned, helpless mannerround and round, and gradually getting more distant from the schooner.

  The men gave a cheer at the result, but as they did so Mr Wilson raisedthe cry again of "shark," and pointed downwards where a monster was seenslowly approaching Rasp, who was working away in profound ignorance ofhis danger, though he had been seen to straighten himself up for amoment or two when the cartridges were exploded.

  "Stand ready with the life-line," shouted Dutch. "Keep on pumping, mylads."

  As he spoke he signalled with the cord, and Rasp faced round, to be seento squat down directly as he drew his knife.

  The scene below was very vivid, for the sun shone out so brightly thateven the rivets in the copper helmet were visible, and but for a word ortwo of warning those whose duty it was to attend to life-line and pumpwould have stopped short to try and catch a glance at what was going onbelow.

  Dutch's stern voice brought them back to their duty, and the pumpclanked, and those who held the life-line stood ready for a run forwardto drag Rasp up if there was any need.

  "Why," exclaimed Mr Parkley, eagerly, "he is not ready for the monster,and it is sailing round him. I dare not send down a cartridge, as thebrute will not be the only sufferer. Look, look, for heaven's sake,Dutch! It has seized him."

  Plainly enough to be seen, as Mr Parkley spoke, the shark gave its taila wave, turned over so that its white breast was like a flash of lightin the water, and opening its large jaws it seemed to seize the diver.

  At the same moment there was a tug at the signal-cord, and a sharp tugat the life-line, for Dutch gave the word, and Rasp was dragged rapidlyto the surface, the shark following, and making a fresh snap at him ashe was hoisted on deck.

  The second snap divided the tube, which the monster caught across hisjaws, but no sooner was Rasp in safety than Mr Parkley threw one of hiscartridges at the shark, where it swam now round and round, with onlyits back fin above the water.

  In an instant the creature turned on one side, and the white cartridgewas seen to disappear. Then followed a touch of the wire against thehissing battery, there was a deafening report, and the schooner heaved alittle over on one side, and the surface of the placid sea was coveredwith blood-stained fragments which were seized and borne off by a shoalof silvery-looking fish, which seemed attracted to the spot inthousands.

  "What did you pull me up for?" roared Rasp, as soon as he was relievedof his helmet.

  "To save your life," was the reply.

  "It's shabby, that's what it is," said Rasp angrily. "No one interferedwith you, Mr Dutch, when you had your turn."

  "But you signalled to be pulled up."

  "That I didn't," growled the old fellow. "It was that brute bit at myhelmet. Has he made any marks?"

  "Yes," said Mr Parkley, lifting up the bright copper headpiece, andexamining the couple of curves of sharply defined scratches which hadbeen made by the monster's teeth.

  "Then you should have left me alone," growled Rasp. "I should havekilled that chap if I could have got my knife out of the sheath."

  "And could you not?" said Dutch.

  "No. It's a sticking fast in the sheath there, and--. Who's took itout?" he growled, feeling his side. "Why, I must ha' dropped it."

  The bright blade could be seen lying below, and Rasp stood grumbling andwondering how it could have happened, ending with whispering to Dutch.

  "I ain't afeard on the beggars, but don't let out as I was took aback.I worn't ready, you know; that's how it was."

  Dutch nodded assent, and the subject dropped, for Rasp pulled a coupleof large and two small lumps of shelly matter from his pocket, theweight of which instantly told Mr Parkley that they were ingots in thesame condition as the first.

  There was no doubt now about the treasure having been found, and thequestion discussed was whether it would be better to try and get rid ofthe sand by blasting, or try the slower and more laborious plan ofdigging it away.

  This last was decided on, especially as, by blasting away the sand, thesilver ingots to a great extent might be cast away with the covering.Besides which, the position of the schooner was so satisfactory that thecaptain was averse to its being moved, and wished, if possible, toretain it where it was. Tackle was rigged up, then, with iron bucketsattached to ropes, and the afternoon was spent by Dutch and Rasp in turnin filling the buckets, which were then drawn up by the sailors andemptied beyond the ribs of the old galleon.

  The filling of the buckets resulted in the discovery of many ingots,which were placed aside, and at last, after several descents, a portionof the treasure was reached, and instead of sending up sand, the bucketswere filled with silver and the rough shelly concrete, though everyingot as they worked lower was more free from the adhesion, till thelower ones were almost literally blackened silver covered with sand.

  Worn out with fatigue the task was at last set aside for the day, and inhonour of their great success, 'Pollo's best endeavours had been calledinto question to prepare what was quite a banquet, during which MrParkley was congratulated by his friends in turn, and afterwards, whenseated in the comparative cool of the evening, the question wasdiscussed as to there being any risk attending their proceedings.

  "I don't suppose we are right from some points of view," said MrParkley, gaily. "But let's secure all the treasure, and we'll talkabout that afterwards. We shall give you a rich cargo, Studwick."

  "I hope so," was the reply, "but you'll have to go on for many days atthis rate before I am overloaded."

  "Wait a bit, eh, Dutch Pugh. I think we shall astonish him yet. Come,a glass of champagne, man. You are low with your accident.
What areyou dreaming about?"

  "I was wondering," said Dutch, quietly, "whether we ought not to takemore precautions."

  "What about? Indians ashore?"

  "No; sailors afloat."

  "Quite right," said the captain.

  "What do you mean?"

  "I mean," said Dutch, "that we must not excite the cupidity of these menby letting them see too much of the treasure, or mischief may follow.There are several fellows here whose looks I don't like."

  "Don't invent bugbears, Pugh," said Mr Parkley, gaily. "We can takecare of what we find, for we have plenty of arms, and I doubt very muchwhether the men would risk their necks by entering into anything in theshape of a mutiny. What do you say to that, eh, Studwick? Am I notright?"

  "I don't know what to say," replied the captain. "I must confess nowthat I had my misgivings about some of the men at the commencement ofthe voyage, and, though I have seen nothing to make me suspicious, thefact of having a large freight of silver on board with such a crew as wehave does not tend to make me feel quite at ease."

  "But you have not your large freight of silver on board yet," said thedoctor smiling.

  "No, by jove," exclaimed Mr Studwick; "but if they go on piling up theingots at the rate they have been this afternoon, we shall soon have atemptation strong enough to incite a set of scoundrels to cut all ourthroats."

  Dutch started and shuddered.

  "Come, come, gentlemen," cried Mr Parkley, "suppose we stop all thisdismal quaking. Here we have so far succeeded in our quest, and thetrip bids fair to be all that can be desired, whereupon you set toinventing troubles. Come, I'll give you a toast. Here, `Home, sweethome!'"

  "Home, sweet home!" said the others in chorus, as they drained theirglasses, saving Dutch, who sat moodily thinking. For these words hadrecalled happy days that were past. There was no happy home for him,and it seemed as if a wandering life would be the happiest that he couldnow look forward to in the future.

  At last, being weary with their exertions, the watch was set and theywent below, the doctor sternly forbidding any one from lying down tosleep on the deck,--a most tempting place in the heat; and no sooner hadthe captain taken a look round than a couple of dark figures creptstealthily from under the tarpaulin that covered a boat, and were joinedby another, who cautiously came forward to join them from the forecastlehatch, the three getting together under the dark shelter of thebulwarks, where earnest conversation was carried on in a whisper.

  About half-an-hour later another dark figure crept out upon the deck,and stood listening for a few moments before going down on hands andknees, and then apparently flat upon the deck, to worm its way towardswhere a faint light shone up from the cabin, and gaze cautiously downthrough the skylight as far as it could for the wire protection spreadover the glass.

  Apparently satisfied, the figure crept forward again, and made for thehatch leading down to the berths occupied by Mr Jones, the doctor, thenaturalist, Rasp, and where Sam Oakum also turned in.

  Now, it so happened that the latter gentleman was enjoying a strangenightmare, in which it seemed to him that Rasp had, out of spite, forcedhim into one of the diving suits, made him go to the bottom of the sea,and had then suddenly cut off the supply of air. He fought, hestruggled, he grunted, he made every effort he could to breathe, but allin vain, and in the horror of the suffocating sensation he awoke to findthat a hand was pressed heavily upon his mouth, while another seemedbusy at his breast.