Brewster's Millions

by George Barr McCutcheon

  CHAPTER XXVI

  MUTINY

  Monty was on deck when the inspiration seized him, and he lost no timein telling his guests, who were at breakfast. Although he hadmisgivings about their opinion of the scheme, he was not prepared forthe ominous silence that followed his announcement.

  "Are you in earnest, Mr. Brewster?" asked Captain Perry, who was thefirst of the company to recover from the surprise.

  "Of course I am. I chartered this boat for four months with theprivilege of another month I can see no reason to prevent us fromprolonging the trip." Monty's manner was full of self-assurance as hecontinued: "You people are so in the habit of protesting against everysuggestion I make that you can't help doing it now."

  "But, Monty," said Mrs. Dan, "what if your guests would rather go home."

  "Nonsense; you were asked for a five months' cruise. Besides, think ofgetting home in the middle of August, with every one away. It would belike going to Philadelphia."

  Brave as he was in the presence of his friends, in the privacy of hisstateroom Monty gave way to the depression that was bearing down uponhim. It was the hardest task of his life to go on with his scheme inthe face of opposition. He knew that every man and woman on board wasagainst the proposition, for his sake at least, and it was difficult tobe arbitrary under the circumstances. Purposely he avoided Peggy allforenoon. His single glance at her face in the salon was enough todisturb him immeasurably.

  The spirits of the crowd were subdued. The North Cape had charms, butthe proclamation concerning it had been too sudden--had reversed tooquickly the general expectation and desire. Many of the guests hadplans at home for August, and even those who had none were satiatedwith excitement. During the morning they gathered in little knots todiscuss the situation. They were all generous and each one was surethat he could cruise indefinitely, if on Monty's account the new voyagewere not out of the question. They felt it their duty to take adesperate stand.

  The half-hearted little gatherings resolved themselves into ominousgroups and in the end there was a call for a general meeting in themain cabin. Captain Perry, the first mate, and the chief engineer wereincluded in the call, but Montgomery Brewster was not to be admitted.Joe Bragdon loyally agreed to keep him engaged elsewhere while themeeting was in progress. The doors were locked and a cursory glanceassured the chairman of the meeting, Dan DeMille, that no member of theparty was missing save the devoted Bragdon. Captain Perry was plainlynervous and disturbed. The others were the victims of a suppressedenergy that presaged subsequent eruptions.

  "Captain Perry, we are assembled here for a purpose," said DeMille,clearing his throat three times. "First of all, as we understand it,you are the sailing master of this ship. In other words, you are,according to maritime law, the commander of this expedition. You alonecan give orders to the sailors and you alone can clear a port. Mr.Brewster has no authority except that vested in a common employer. Am Icorrect?"

  "Mr. DeMille, if Mr. Brewster instructs me to sail for the North Cape,I shall do so," said the captain, firmly. "This boat is his for thefull term of the lease and I am engaged to sail her with my crew untilthe tenth of next September."

  "We understand your position, captain, and I am sure you appreciateours. It isn't that we want to end a very delightful cruise, but thatwe regard it as sheer folly for Mr. Brewster to extend the tour at suchtremendous expense. He is--or was--a rich man, but it is impossible toignore the fact that he is plunging much too heavily. In plain words,we want to keep him from spending more of his money on this cruise. Doyou understand our position, Captain Perry?"

  "Fully. I wish with all my soul that I could help you and him. My handsare tied by contract, however, much as I regret it at this moment."

  "How does the crew feel about this additional trip, captain?" askedDeMille.

  "They shipped for five months and will receive five months' pay. Themen have been handsomely treated and they will stick to Mr. Brewster tothe end," said the captain.

  "There is no chance for a mutiny, then?" asked Smith regretfully. Thecaptain gave him a hard look, but said nothing. Everybody seemeduncomfortable.

  "Apparently the only way is the one suggested by Mr. Smith thismorning," said Mrs. Dan, speaking for the women. "No one will object, Iam sure, if Captain Perry and his chief officers are allowed to hearthe plan."

  "It is very necessary, in fact," said Mr. Valentine. "We cannot proceedwithout them. But they will agree with us, I am sure, that it is wise."

  An hour later the meeting broke up and the conspirators made their wayto the deck. It was a strange fact that no one went alone. They were ingroups of three and four and the mystery that hung about them wasalmost perceptible. Not one was willing to face the excited, buoyantBrewster without help; they found strength and security incompanionship.

  Peggy was the one rebel against the conspiracy, and yet she knew thatthe others were justified in the step they proposed to take. Shereluctantly joined them in the end, but felt that she was the darkesttraitor in the crowd. Forgetting her own distress over the way in whichMonty was squandering his fortune, she stood out the one defender ofhis rights until the end and then admitted tearfully to Mrs. DeMillethat she had been "quite unreasonable" in doing so.

  Alone in her stateroom after signing the agreement, she wondered whathe would think of her. She owed him so much that she at least shouldhave stood by him. She felt that he would be conscious of this? Howcould she have turned against him? He would not understand--of coursehe would never understand. And he would hate her with the others--morethan the others. It was all a wretched muddle and she could not see herway out of it.

  Monty found his guests very difficult. They listened to his plans withbut little interest, and he could not but see that they wereuncomfortable. The situation was new to their experience, and they wereunder a strain. "They mope around like a lot of pouting boys andgirls," he growled to himself. "But it's the North Cape now in spite ofeverything. I don't care if the whole crowd deserts me, my mind is madeup."

  Try as he would, he could not see Peggy alone. He had much that hewanted to say to her and he hungered for the consolation her approvalwould bring him, but she clung to Pettingill with a tenacity that wasdiscouraging. The old feeling of jealousy that was connected with Comoagain disturbed him.

  "She thinks that I am a hopeless, brainless idiot," he said to himself."And I don't blame her, either."

  Just before nightfall he noticed that his friends were assembling inthe bow. As he started to join the group "Subway" Smith and DeMilleadvanced to meet him. Some of the others were smiling a littlesheepishly, but the two men were pictures of solemnity and decision.

  "Monty," said DeMille steadily, "we have been conspiring against youand have decided that we sail for New York to-morrow morning."

  Brewster stopped short and the expression on his face was one theynever could forget. Bewilderment, uncertainty and pain succeeded eachother like flashes of light. Not a word was spoken for several seconds.The red of humiliation slowly mounted to his cheeks, while in his eyeswavered the look of one who has been hunted down.

  "You have decided?" he asked lifelessly, and more than one heart wentout in pity to him.

  "We hated to do it, Monty, but for your own sake there was no otherway," said "Subway" Smith quickly. "We took a vote and there wasn't adissenting voice." "It is a plain case of mutiny, I take it," saidMonty, utterly alone and heart-sick.

  "It isn't necessary to tell you why we have taken this step," saidDeMille. "It is heart-breaking to oppose you at this stage of the game.You've been the best ever and--"

  "Cut that," cried Monty, and his confidence in himself was fastreturning. "This is no time to throw bouquets."

  "We like you, Brewster." Mr. Valentine came to the chairman'sassistance because the others had looked at him so appealingly. "Welike you so well that we can't take the responsibility for yourextravagance. It would disgrace us all."

  "That side of the matter was never mentioned," cried Peggy indignantly
,and then added with a catch in her voice, "We thought only of you."

  "I appreciate your motives and I am grateful to you," said Monty. "I ammore sorry than I can tell you that the cruise must end in this way,but I too have decided. The yacht will take you to some point where youcan catch a steamer to New York. I shall secure passage for the entireparty and very soon you will be at home. Captain Perry, will you obligeme by making at once for any port that my guests may agree upon?" Hewas turning away deliberately when "Subway" Smith detained him.

  "What do you mean by getting a steamer to New York? Isn't the 'Flitter'good enough?" he asked.

  "The 'Flitter' is not going to New York just now," answered Brewsterfirmly, "notwithstanding your ultimatum. She is going to take me to theNorth Cape."