by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER V
LOUIS BELGRAVE HAS SOME MISGIVINGS
Captain Scott had evidently visited the hurricane deck with thespy-glass for the purpose of scanning the sea within eight or ten milesof the Maud, as his report was that no steamers going in a northeasterlydirection were in sight. He did not say that he feared any interferenceon the part of such vessels if any were near. At eleven o'clock it wastime for Felix to take his trick at the wheel; Morris's watch,consisting of himself and Louis, were off duty.
It was a very democratic routine that prevailed on board of the littlesteamer; for the captain was no bigger man than the two seamen beforethe mast, and was obliged to take his turn on the lookout; but thearrangement had been made by the boys, all had agreed to it, and no onecould complain. Scott went to his place in the bow, taking the glasswith him. He had given out the course to his successor at the wheel, andthe Maud was now going at full speed.
The dignity of the quarter-deck does not permit an officer, much less aseaman, to ask questions of his superior. This sacred limit on board ofa ship was entirely constructive so far as the Maud was concerned; forshe was provided with no such planking, and the dignity was applicableonly to the persons to whom the quarter-deck is appropriated. ButCaptain Ringgold was a strict disciplinarian, having served in the navyduring the War of the Rebellion.
The young navigators had imbibed this deference from the officers onboard of the Guardian-Mother, and it had become, as it were, a part oftheir nautical being. It had never been incorporated in any regulation,but it was just as potent as though it had been set forth in an orderfrom the commander. Captain Scott did not explain what other steamersheaded in the same direction as the Maud had to do with the presentvoyage, and it was not in order to make any inquiries; but LouisBelgrave would have been very glad to know what was passing through themind of his superior officer at this time.
The young commander "made no sign," and all that could be done was towait until events developed themselves. Morris and Louis were at libertyto go where they pleased, and do what they liked, provided they did notinterfere with the routine of the steamer. Both of them were desirous ofunderstanding the situation, and they went upon the upper deck in orderto obtain a better view of the other vessels.
Morris had a field-glass which he carried with him. Like everything elsethe magnate of the Fifth Avenue provided for the members of his family,it was of the best quality, and had proved to be a powerful instrument.He first looked for the Guardian-Mother; but he could not make her out.The trend of the coast was to the southward, beyond Damietta, and shehad either gone out of the reach of the glass, or she was concealed bythe intervening land. The Fatime was very distinctly to be seen, headedfor the Maud, and there could be no doubt at all in regard to herintentions. She was in pursuit of the Maud, and her movements veryplainly indicated that she was engaged in a mischievous mission.
"It begins to look serious, don't it, Louis?" asked Morris, after bothof them had used the field-glass.
"It would look so if the Guardian-Mother were not somewhere in thevicinity," replied Louis. "Captain Mazagan has waited till she is wellout of sight; and I have no doubt he is wondering why our two vesselshave separated. At any rate, he has bitten at the bait prepared for himwithout seeing the hook it conceals."
"I don't see why the plan is not succeeding as well as could bedesired," suggested the first officer. "Of course Captain Ringgold doesnot mean to leave us to fall into the hands of this pirate, as you allcall her."
"It was distinctly the understanding that she was to come between us andany possible harm."
"Something may happen to prevent her from doing so."
"Of course there is no knowing what may happen," Louis admitted. "I donot see what can possibly occur to prevent her from following us toCyprus, if we go there."
"Isn't it settled that we are to go there?" asked Morris, who had notheard the manoeuvre discussed before the commander of the ship.
"It is not absolutely settled; for the Fatty might take to her heels,and no doubt would do so if she discovered the Guardian-Mother in herwake. Mazagan knows very well that she can make four knots to theMoorish craft's three; for that is just the ratio we figured out betweenthem. With three or four knots the lead she could overhaul her in anhour."
"But the pirate could make her out in clear weather ten or a dozen milesoff. But what was Captain Scott's idea in running for the island ofCyprus?"
"In order to have room enough for his manoeuvre."
"Have you kept the run of the Maud's course, Louis?"
"I have not; I am not so much of a sailor as you are, my boy, and Idon't figure on sailing the craft unless required to do so," repliedLouis. "But why do you ask that question?"
"Because I think the captain has changed the course of the Maud, and isheaded more to the northward," answered Morris.
"What makes you think so? He gave out a north-east course to Flix. Youhave seen no compass since that time, and the sun is clouded in. I seethat Captain Scott is no longer at the bow; he must have gone into thepilot-house," added Louis, his thought in regard to the indefinite ideain the mind of the navigator coming to him again.
"There is a compass in the standing-room, Louis; suppose we go below andlook up this matter," Morris proposed, though he could have had nosuspicion that the captain had any concealed intentions.
They went down the forward ladder to the forecastle, though there wasone aft leading into the standing-room. Louis found that Scott wasseated on the divan abaft the wheel, studying a chart, which he couldsee included the island of Cyprus. He took no notice of them as theydescended the ladder, and they went to the standing-room withoutstopping on the forecastle. Morris led the way; for he seemed to beimpatient to ascertain whether or not he was right in relation to thecourse of the steamer.
"There you are!" he exclaimed as he looked at the face of the compass."The Maud is headed to the north north-east half east; and that is notthe course Captain Scott gave out when Flix took the helm."
"But it is not a great change," added Louis.
"Just now it is not; but in making two hundred miles to the northward itwould take the Maud to a point about forty miles to the westward ofwhere she would have brought up on her former course," Morrisexplained.
"I understand your point; but what does it mean?"
"It means that we are going to a place forty miles west of the one westarted for."
"I don't understand it; and Captain Scott is just as tenacious inkeeping his own counsels as the commander of the Guardian-Motherhimself," replied Louis.
"But you have as much influence with him as the commander."
"And for that reason I will not ask him any questions in regard to thesailing of the Maud."
Morris was not ready to ask him to call the captain to an account; and,leaving him in the standing-room, he went into the cabin. Louis was notwilling to believe, or even to accept a suggestion that Scott had anyulterior purpose in his mind; for it seemed very much like treason toharbor such a thought of his friend. The only thing that gave him a hintin that direction was the fact he had expressed that Louis ought not tobe on board of the Maud during her present mission.
If the little steamer was not to engage in some perilous adventure, whyshould Scott wish he were somewhere else? But the captain was certainlysolicitous for one of those whose safety was threatened; and he tried tobelieve that this was a sufficient explanation. While he was thinking ofthe matter, Morris rushed out of the cabin, and looked and acted asthough he were laboring under some excitement.
"What is the matter now, Morris?" he asked.
"Matter enough!" replied the first officer. "The barometer has made aconsiderable slump since I looked at it the last time."
"And that means bad weather, I suppose," added Louis, who very rarelybecame excited when a young fellow would be expected to be in such acondition.
"No doubt of it," answered the mate, wondering that he had made soslight an impression on his companion.
"We have weathered two pretty severe gales in the Maud, and I dare saywe can do it again. I suppose the barometer will tell the same story onboard of the ship that it has on the consort."
"No doubt of that."
"Then we shall soon see the Guardian-Mother bowling this way at her bestspeed," answered Louis.
The officer levelled his field-glass in the direction the ship had gone;but there was not the least sign of her or any other steamer in thatquarter of the horizon.
"She isn't there; but she may have run in under a lee somewhere nearDamietta, in order to watch the movements of the Fatty."
"That may be; and if she has done so it was not a bad idea. But I thinkwe had better go forward and ascertain if there is any news there,"added Louis, as he led the way.
If he was not alarmed at the situation in view of the weatherindications, he was certainly somewhat anxious. When he reached theforecastle he found the captain there, using his glass very diligently,pointing it in the direction in which the ship was supposed to be. Louisand Morris did not interrupt his occupation. He discovered nothing, andhe was apparently going aft to get a view of the Fatime when he noticedthe members of the port watch.
"I suppose you noticed that the course of the Maud has been changed,Louis?" said he.
This remark afforded the perplexed millionaire a decided relief; for itproved that the captain had not intended to conceal the change from him.
"I did not observe it, but Morris did; for he is boiling over withnautical knowledge and skill," replied Louis, and without asking anyquestion.
"I was going aft to take a look at the Fatty; but I suppose you canreport what she is doing," added Captain Scott.
"Morris can, but I cannot."
"Do you think she is gaining on us?" asked the captain, turning fromLouis to the mate.
"Of course I can't tell while she is coming head on; but I cannot makeout that she has gained a cable's length upon us."
"Mr. Sentrick and Felipe put our engine in first-rate condition while wewere going up and down the Nile; and both of them say the Maud ought tomake half a knot better time than before," continued the captain. "I amconfident we are fully the equal of the Fatty in speed; and perhaps wecould keep out of her way on an emergency. You know we had a littlespurt with her in the Strait of Gibraltar. But come into thepilot-house, Louis, for I want to show you something there;" and he ledthe way.
When both of them were fairly in the little apartment, he pointed to thebarometer. If Louis was not much of a sailor, he had learned to read theinstrument, and he saw that the mercury had made a decided fall from thelast reading.
"I see; and it means bad weather," he replied.
"Flix called my attention to the fall some time ago; and after a look atthe chart I decided to alter the course," said the captain, as hepointed out the island of Cyprus on the chart spread out on the fallingtable over the divan.
"I have no doubt you have done the right thing at the right time, as youalways do in the matter of navigation."
"But look at this chart, Louis;" and it almost seemed to him that thecaptain had fathomed his unuttered thoughts, because he was taking somuch pains to explain what he had done, and why he had done it. "Thecourse I gave out at first would have carried the Maud to Cape Gata, onthe southern coast of the island."
"I understand it so far."
"The tumble of the barometer opened the matter under a new phase. Weshould have made Cape Gata about three to-morrow morning, and in myjudgment in a smart southerly or south-westerly gale. The cape wouldafford us little or no shelter, as you can see for yourself; and itwould be a very bad place in a heavy blow. Our course is now northnorth-east half-east for Cape Arnauti, on the north side of the island,where we shall be under the lee of the island, though we have to getforty miles more of westing to make it."
Louis thanked the captain for his lucid explanation. The next morning,in a fresh gale, the Maud was off the cape mentioned.
"IT HAD BEEN A STORMY NIGHT." Page 51.]