CHAPTER XIX
"ONE MAN LESS IN THE FORECASTLE MESS"
"Ye can let him work with ye, Thirkle," said Buckrow. "As ye and thewritin' chap seem to have a lot of chin, pair off with him; and, as thetwo of ye don't bear arms, he can't get his paws on a gun or knife thatway. You two work ahead of me and Petrak, and then we can keep an eye onthe both of ye.
"It strikes me you and the writin' chap is gettin' thick--too blastedthick to suit me, Thirkle, if ye want to know. Mind ye don't come none ofyer smart tricks now, or I won't wait for ye to go explainin' of what yemean. Savvy that?"
"Tut, tut, man!" said Thirkle. "How can you have any doubts about whatwill happen to Mr. Trenholm? I suppose you think I want to take himalong with us so he can write this all up for the newspapers? I'msurprised at you, Bucky. Don't you know my ways yet?"
"That's all right," growled Buckrow, who was in an ill humour. "We was towork even, and ye ain't been doin' yer part, Thirkle. A bargain's abargain I'd have ye know, and I'm to see ye keep to yer part of it."
"Pipe down--pipe down, Bucky," said Petrak, who seemed in glee after thebrandy he had had. "It's the drink talkin', Bucky. We're all good chaps,and Thirkle's A No. 1, and we got the gold to stow."
"Don't come no bos'n manners to me," retorted Buckrow savagely. "I ain'tgoin' to stand for none such from ye, Red. Yer sidin' with Thirkle, and Iknow that, and I'm as good a man as Thirkle; and I'm boss here, even orno even. I'm boss! Understand that? Thirkle and ye can have yer votes ifye want; but I'm boss, and I'll drill the two of ye."
"Ye ain't goin' to fight, be ye Bucky?"
"I'll put all hands under ground--that's what, if ye don't turn to; andthere's too much gammin' and gabbin' here to suit me, I'd have ye know."
Petrak looked at Thirkle as if in doubt about Buckrow's sanity, andThirkle gave him a look that seemed to me to be a message, and he made afurtive signal which I was not able to interpret.
"Steady as she goes, mates; steady as she goes," purred Thirkle. "This isno time to quarrel. We'll have a gunboat down on us if we don't getaway soon, and there's a lot to do yet before we leave. Let Bucky alone,Red."
"Then ye and the writin' chap lay on and move lively," snarled Buckrow,and Thirkle had me take hold of a sack behind him, and, with him leadingthe way, we carried it into the miniature canon.
The sacks were heavy, but were bound with ropes which served as handles,and were not hard to move until we got into the narrow cleft, where Ifound that my shoulders bumped along the walls as I swayed from side toside, or missed my footing on the damp, slippery ground.
Buckrow and Petrak followed us in with another sack, and when Thirkle hadgone as far as he could he pulled our sack forward under his feet andstowed it in the angle where the walls joined. Then I had to pass thesecond sack on to him, taking it from Petrak, who was next to me, andthen we turned in our tracks and went out again.
The brush on the top of the cliff overlapped the crevice, so that it wasquite dark a few feet from the entrance. The walls were slippery with athick, funguslike moss, from which cool water dripped.
"That gold will rust in here sure as a nigger's black," grumbled Buckrow,as he felt his way out. "I don't like this place at all."
"Best place on the island," whispered Thirkle. "Tell him it's the bestplace on the island, Reddy."
"It's the best place on the island, Bucky. I don't see as we could dobetter."
"I don't care what ye think of it; I say it'll rust in there," saidBuckrow.
"You had better go in backward this time," said Thirkle. "You may find ita little harder, Mr. Trenholm; but perhaps it will be more convenient."
"What's that?" demanded Buckrow. "Who go in first?"
"It will be easier if Mr. Trenholm goes in first," said Thirkle. "He'llhave to go backward, but he'll find it easier to navigate."
"Oh, no, he won't!" said Buckrow. "I see your game, Thirkle. Ye want tocome out behind Mr. Petrak and borrow a gun. We'll let you go in first,and the writin' chap can come out atween ye and Petrak. Don't come noneof them games on me, Thirkle. I'm too old a fish."
We went in with the second lot of sacks in the same order, but I sawanother exchange of signals between Thirkle and Petrak before we stoopedfor our burdens.
Before we had gone ten feet inside the crevice Thirkle coughed, andPetrak, close behind him said: "Gold don't rust."
"I say it do," declared Buckrow. "Six months' time in here'll have thisstuff with whiskers on it like a Singapore tramp that hasn't been dockedin a dog's age."
"I say gold don't rust," persisted Petrak. "How about it, Thirkle? Doesgold rust? I say it don't, and Bucky says it do."
"You're right, Reddy, but don't quarrel now," said Thirkle. "It won'trust because gold doesn't rust."
"I don't give a tinker's hang what Thirkle says!" cried Buckrow, throwingdown his end of the sack. "I'm here to say gold will rust if it's keptwet, and that's an end of it. Gold do rust, Thirkle or no Thirkle, and Isay it."
"All right," agreed Reddy. "Lay on, Bucky, and let's get this job overand done with!"
"White-livered little fool!" I heard Thirkle mutter. "He doesn't dare doit!"
I heard Petrak and Buckrow coming on, and we were soon at the end of theblack hole.
"This is a fine place, lads," said Thirkle. "It will keep in here as wellas if buried in white, dry sand."
"Maybe it will and maybe it won't," growled Buckrow. "I don't call no wethole like this fine, and never did, and I'm minded to bury the rest ofit outside."
"Never a bit of hurt in the water, Bucky," said Petrak cheerily. "We'llput many of these shiners over the bar of the Flag and Anchor, Bucky, andhave many a pipe over our drink."
"Ye don't catch me in no Flag and Anchor. I'll have my drop of liquor inthe Flagship and you can go to the devil for yours, for all I mind. Whatif this blasted hole closes up some day? What then? It'll be a fine placethen, no doubt. Hey, Mr. Thirkle? What then?"
"No fear of that," said Thirkle. "It's wider at the top than at thebottom, and the tops hang away. I looked into all that when I decided toput it in here. There isn't as much water as ye think, Bucky; and it'sunder foot what there is of it, and, the way we've got it stowed here,one atop of the other, only the bottom one'll be very wet--and gold don'trust."
"These guineas will be thick with scale, and ye'll need a chipping hammerto clean 'em when ye have 'em outside again. Ye talk about folks bein'suspicious of gold, but I say they're quicker to turn up their noses andsay things about gold that's been stowed in the wet and turned black."
"But gold don't rust, Bucky. That's sure--gold don't rust," said Petrak.
"That's all very well: but I mind when I dropped half a crown in a poolback home, and in a fortnight it was thick as my hand. Think I'm a fool?I know what I'm talkin' about, if ye don't. Go ahead and side withThirkle if ye like."
"That was silver, Bucky. Gold don't rust like that. I always knew golddon't rust, and now Thirkle says it don't, and Thirkle knows, as healways did. Mind we always asked Thirkle?"
"I'm not asking him any more if ye want to know, vote or no vote. My voteis as good as Thirkle's, and it's good as yours; and ye can side with himif ye want."
"But gold don't rust," said Petrak mockingly.
"Ye think I'm a fool?" shrieked Buckrow, turning on Petrak. He wasnearest the outside, and I could see his figure silhouetted against thelight at the entrance. He stooped down and put his face close to Petrak.
"Fool or not, gold don't rust, I'm telling ye Buck--"
"Then take that from a fool!" And Buckrow struck him square in the facewith his fist, hurling him back on my shoulders, so that I fell forwardon my hands.
"That's rotten mean, Bucky," I heard Petrak whining. "That's rotten meanin here in the dark, Bucky."
"That _is_ rotten mean, Petrak," said Thirkle indignantly. "I wouldn'tstand for that if I were you."
"Oh, ye wouldn't, hey? Well, we'll see what ye stand for soon's ye comeout into the clear--that's what we'll see, Thirkle."
"It's rotten mean," whimpered Petrak. "I wouldn't do the likes o' that toye, Bucky; not if ye never agreed along with me--it's rotten mean."
"Ye'll get worse as that is. Now, does gold rust, ye little runt? Say it!Does gold rust?"
"That's hardly fair, Bucky," said Thirkle. "That's hardly fair on thelittle chap after he's stood by ye so long."
"Fair enough for me, Thirkle, and fair enough for ye it'll be when yecome out."
"What do ye mean by that, Buck?" demanded Thirkle, speaking over myshoulder; and then he whispered to Petrak: "Give it to him, Red--now'syer chance. Quick, lad!"
"Soon enough ye'll find out what I mean, Thirkle; that's what. If the twoof ye think yer going to side together ag'in' me, well and good; but lookout for Bad Buckrow, I say. I'll make my meanin' blasted clear, too. Mindthat."
"My jaw's broke!" cried Petrak, struggling to his feet, breathing hard.Then without warning he sprang on Buckrow's back with a snarl like ananimal, and the two of them went down in the narrow passage.
"Gawd a'mighty!" screamed Buckrow, with every bit of air in his lungs,and I heard Petrak strike again.
"Red--he got me--he--"
"Good!" said Thirkle into my ear, as if speaking to me. "I never thoughtthe little chap had the innards for it, but he did as long as he couldstrike from behind."
Petrak was holding Buckrow down, and his victim was breathing hard andwrithing under him, with his face buried in the ground. He coughed twice,as if there was something caught in his throat, and then was still.
"Did ye get him Petrak?"
"I done for him, Thirkle. I done for him good. That's the last of Bucky.Mind how I fooled him, Thirkle? Said my jaw was broke."
"Good work, Reddy, lad. Good work, but be sure or he'll wing ye yet. Surehe ain't playing chink with ye?"
"Oh, he's done right enough. That leaves two of us--hey, Thirkle? Ye knowBucky would a done for ye but for me--wouldn't he, Thirkle? Ye knowthat's right--don't ye, Thirkle?"
"That's right, Reddy," said Thirkle. "It's a good job he's done for--andnow there is two of us, you and me, Reddy. I never did like Bucky; but Ilike you, Red. He wanted his fight, and he got it. I knew ye wouldn'ttake that from him. No man could stand for such as that in here."
"That leaves all the more for us--don't it, Thirkle?"
"All the more for us, Reddy. Drag him out, and now we'll settle thisnavvy's job. It's one man less in the fo'c'sle mess, and dead men tell notales; and now we'll have to do the work a bit short-handed; but we canclean it up between us now, and no more fighting going on."
Petrak pulled the body out after him, and Thirkle helped him carry itinto the brush, where they dumped it without ceremony, and Thirkle foundanother bottle of brandy and offered it to Petrak.
"I'll just take a pair of these pistols, Reddy," he said, relieving himof the belt he had taken from Buckrow. "You don't need all those pistols,now that Bucky is done for."
"But ye was to bear no arms, Thirkle," grinned Petrak.
"That's what I told Bucky, but you and me'll get along better than we didwith Bucky; and ye don't intend to hold me to that--do ye, Red?"
"I was only joking a bit, Thirkle. We're together now on the split, ain'twe? Well, friends don't have to make such agreements. I sail with you,and you sail with me; and no articles signed beyond that, I say. What,Thirkle?"
"That's what. Have another drink, Red. That was a good job ye did for mewith Bucky, even if he did play you mean."
"He was a bad one, all right," agreed Petrak, wiping his mouth and givingThirkle the bottle. "Bad Buckrow they called him when I first knew him,and bad he was to the end; but I never looked to give to him, leastwisenot the way I did, in a hole like that. Howsome it be, I don't stand forno smash in the mouth like he give me--ain't that right, Thirkle?"
"Right you are, but it's time we had this stuff cleaned up now. You andMr. Trenholm set at it while I put Bucky under ground."
Petrak and I resumed the work of carrying the sacks into the crevice,while Thirkle busied himself at digging a grave in the soft sand near theplace they had deposited Buckrow's body. The little red-headed man beganto whistle a music-hall tune softly, but Thirkle cautioned him againstmaking any unnecessary noise.
I was in an agony from my cramped position, and tugging at the sacksserved to increase my torture. The tangle of ropes which Buckrow had puton my ankles caught in loose stones and chafed the flesh until the bloodcame; and my wrists, pulled down with tight knots, which I had to strainagainst to keep my balance, throbbed and pained and tingled, my armsbeing numbed by the blood in the bound arteries.
Petrak kept before me, with the sacks between us, and his bloody knifepulled to the front of his belt. After he had stowed each sack he helpedme back out, or assisted me to turn, which was always a hard task for me.
If I let my end of the sack slip out of my fingers he was ready for mewith knife or pistol, so there was no opportunity to take a pistol orknife from him, even if I had not been helplessly hobbled.
"Mind ye don't try any monkey-business with me," he warned the secondtime we went in. "If ye do, I'll give ye what Bucky got, and ye mindthat. I'm no gent to fool with, as ye ought to savvy by this; and if yethink I be, try something."
But, for all his warning, I was ready to risk death if I saw the chanceto make a fight. I hoped that Thirkle would give him more of the brandy,but Thirkle kept the bottle to himself. When we pressed into the creviceI wore the ropes on my wrists against the stones as much as I could,trying to cut the bonds on the rough points of the walls. Once I stumbledand fell and groped for a splinter of stone, but he menaced me with hisknife and kicked me until I got to my feet again.
I had given up hope of being rescued by Captain Riggs. Even if he foundthe camp, I doubted that he would attack until it would be too late forme, as he would naturally suppose Buckrow and Long Jim to be near by.
It was coming on toward twilight, and there were still seven sacks to becarried in. Thirkle had finished burying Buckrow, and set to dragging thesacks close to the entrance of the crevice, so we would not have to carrythem so far.
Petrak made several attempts to talk with him; but Thirkle made shortanswers, for when he took the pistols he had dropped his mask ofaffability and assumed his old commanding airs.
"It'll be dark before we get back to the boats," suggested Petrak, as westood over the five sacks which were left.
"Mighty dark," said Thirkle gruffly, sitting cross-legged, counting apacket of English banknotes.
"That's what ye want, aint' it?" asked Petrak, who noticed that Thirklewas not so friendly as he had been.
"You keep to work and never mind so much talk," said Thirkle. "If yestand there that way, it'll be morning before we get away."
"I'm workin', ain't I? Can't a man stop to breathe, himself, I'd like toknow?"
Thirkle made no reply, but went on running his thumb over the ends of thenotes. I stood and watched them, waiting for Petrak to stoop and takea sack.
"Yer goin' to play fair with me--ain't ye, Thirkle?" whined Petrak, atrace of fear crossing his face. "We're in together, share and sharealike now--ain't we, Thirkle? I can ask that, can't I?"
"Ye'll get yer share, Reddy," said Thirkle, smiling.
"That's half--ain't it, Thirkle? Ye mind what I done for ye with Bucky,don't ye?"
"Aye, half of it, of course, Red. Reef that jaw of yours now, lad, andclap on. Don't stand there like a Jew and wrangle over the loot. Want tostop and count it now, lad?"
"Ye told Long Jim to do for me--didn't ye, Thirkle?" Petrak grinned, andhis fingers twitched toward the butt of a pistol. I knew what was in hismind.
"What's that?" demanded Thirkle. "Oh, run along now, Red, like a goodchap, and get the gold stowed. Didn't I tell ye to get Long Jim, anddidn't ye get him? What more's to be said? Run along now, Reddy, and packit away."
"That's what Long Jim said," insisted Petrak doggedly. There was murderin his eyes, while his face was livid with fear.
"Then h
e lied, and ye ought to take my word against his. Don't be a foolnow, Reddy, like the others. Ye'll get your share, bank on that. Yer agood sort, Petrak; and I need ye to help me get it away, and we'll shareand share alike, as I told ye. Do you think I'd play dirt with ye afterall we've been through together, Reddy?"
"Course not. Don't mind my lip, Thirkle, old chap. No harm done, isthere?"
"No harm done, Reddy," said Thirkle, glancing at me suspiciously, as ifhe thought I had been turning Petrak against him.
"No harm in what I say, Thirkle," and Petrak took up the end of the sack.His mistrust of Thirkle gave me an idea, which I put into play as soon aswe were well inside the crevice.
"Petrak," I whispered dropping my end of the sack, and compelling him tolet it down.
"What's up now?" he whispered.
"He'll kill you, too, Reddy. He's planning it out; and if you let him,he'll kill both of us before he quits this island. Are you going to lethim do it, Reddy?"
He growled out something and fumbled at his belt, and it was touch and gowith him whether he would knife me and then run out and tell Thirkle togain credit with him.
"His mind is made up, Reddy. He may let us help him get a boat into thewater, but that's all. He'll murder both of us like dogs."
"Old Thirkle's all right," he said weakly, as if he felt the truth ofwhat I said, but lacked courage to attack Thirkle.
"Reddy, he'll kill you!" I went on, seeing that I was on the right track,and that fear of death at Thirkle's hands was uppermost in his mind.
He had caught enough in Thirkle's manner since the death of Buckrow tosee that he was not going to get a just division of the loot, at the veryleast, and, knowing the ruthlessness of his master, he had doubts aboutescaping with his life. Besides, I believed he had been tempted by thethought that he might kill Thirkle and then have it all to himself.
"He told Long Jim to kill you? Don't you see the way the devil had itplanned to get rid of you? He planned to kill you all, once he had thisgold on the island. You should never have come back after I shot LongJim. Why did you come back? You know he'll kill you."
"I wanted to see where they hide the gold, that's what. Then, when Iraised you there in the grass it come in my head to grab ye, and come infor my share of the gold, seeing Long Jim was done for."
His friendly mood encouraged me, but, if I let him ramble on with his ownaffairs, I would not be able to convince him that Thirkle was plotting toslay him. So I began with him again.
"Thirkle will kill the both of us. You heard what he said about being agentleman. He has been an officer in the navy, Reddy, and he won't wantyou or any other man to know he was a pirate when he goes back to London.He wouldn't feel safe if he let you live. He cares no more for you thanhe did for Buckrow or Long Jim--you ought to know that."
"Oh, Thirkle is all right," he said in a way that exasperated me.
"He wouldn't look at you twice in London or anywhere else. He'll ridhimself of you as soon as he needs you no more, which will be as soon asthe gold is stowed and he has a boat in the water. Now is your chance ifyou ever had it."
"Thirkle is all right."
"He had it planned to kill Buckrow. Then he argued the two of you intoletting him go. Can't you see that he is playing the game to have it allfor himself? Are you going to be a fool all your life, man?"
"Then ye'd do for me after I done for him," he said.
"Give me a gun and cut me loose and I'll shoot him myself and I'll seethat you get your share of the gold, which you won't from him. You canhave it all if you'll let me kill him, and if he kills me you can sayI cut my hands loose and grabbed a gun. You don't stand to loseanything--come on. Cut me loose and I'll take the chance you don't dareto."
"Thirkle's all right," he droned, picking up the sack again. "I know yourgame--ye want to do for the both of us and have it all for yourself. Finejob that would be! Nice I'd look givin' you a gun, wouldn't I! Lay onthat sack."
"He's all very pleasant now," I went on as I stooped for the rope. "Waituntil he has finished with us and the gold is packed, and then see whatwill happen--you'll wish you had listened to me."
"Pipe down with that," he growled, and I saw the uselessness of trying tomake the lout see reason. I now began to fear that he would tell Thirklewhat I had said to him.
When we went out for another sack, Petrak looked over at Thirkle andhesitated as if he wanted to say something, but Thirkle was writing in alittle book, with a pistol between his feet.
"Well, what is it now?" he demanded truculently, having seen somethingsuspicious in Petrak's manner. "What's the lay now? What have ye got yerhand so close to that gun for? Take a shot at me if you want--go on, takea shot at old Thirkle, if ye're that game."
"Only a habit o' mine, keepin' my gun well for'ard, Thirkle," whimperedPetrak, shivering. "I have to keep a close eye on the writin' chap,Thirkle. No offence, I hope."
"Look lively now, lad," said Thirkle, turning amiable again, but only toreassure Petrak. "Here's the last of it and get it away and we'll getunder way."
We carried another sack in and I waited until we were at the far end andhad dumped it before I began again with Petrak. I knew his naturaltreachery was near the surface, and it needed but little urging to bringhim to the point when he would turn against Thirkle.
"We might as well say good-bye now," I said as mournfully as I could."You remember I treated you pretty well in Manila, and I'm sorry for younow. It doesn't matter much with me how I end now, because Thirkle hasthe drop on me, but I'm sorry for you--you ought to have your share ofit, and Thirkle ought to play fair with you, but he won't. That devil outthere will kill us both in the next ten minutes unless you give me a gunand let me kill him. I'm not afraid of him--give me a gun!"
"Thirkle ain't bad," he said, as if trying to convince himself that hewas not afraid of Thirkle. "He ain't bad--he said he'd play fair with me,and he will."
I laughed gently.
"Yes, he'll play fair--with himself. He's out there now putting downdirections for getting back here--alone. Give me a gun, and let me free,and I'll kill him for you. When I've settled him I'll call you, and if hegets me it's all the same--except that you'll lose in the end.
"But with me you have a chance to win--can't you see that? You haven't achance with Thirkle. If he gets me, don't trust him--shoot him theminute you can get the muzzle of your pistol on him. If you let metry you have two chances at him, and you can kill me if you chooseafterward--or give me a knife if you don't dare to let me have a gun."
"He'll do for ye. Not a chance for ye with Thirkle in gun-play."
"But give me a chance to fight for my life," I pleaded. "If I can put himout of the way, so much the better for you; but it's death for both of usif we go on this way. Give me a gun, and I swear I'll let you go free ifwe ever get off this island."
"He'll kill you and then come and get me," he whined. "There ain't achance to get Thirkle as easy as that. He'll do for me if you take a shotat him."
"Of course he will if we stand here and argue about it until it is toolate!" I stormed at him. "Pass me a gun--don't be a fool, Reddy. Quick!Cut these ropes from my hands and give me a pistol and let me show youhow to draw your Mr. Thirkle's teeth!"
CHAPTER XX
THE LAST
"What's all this social chatter between you two?" demanded Thirkle fromthe entrance to the crevice. I did not know how much he had overheard,but I determined to make one more effort to get the pistol.
"Quick," I whispered to Petrak. "Hand me the gun and free my hands!"
"It ain't me," whined Petrak. "It's the writin' chap here. Get alongout," and he struck me over the head and I knew I had lost, althoughthere was a doubt that Petrak would ever have given me the pistol.
"What's he up to now, Reddy? What's the nice young man trying to do?"
"Wanted to do for ye, that's what, Thirkle. Wanted a gun, but he got nogun from me. Said you wouldn't play fair with me, Thirkle, but I saidye would."
"So ye want to
take a hand in things here, do you, Mr. Trenholm?" saidThirkle as I came out. "Still got an idea you can beat old Thirkle at hisown game. Learning new tricks, I see. Before long ye'd be ready to bossthe job. Didn't take ye long to forget what I told ye of the other smartchap who wanted to settle me and take command himself, did it?"
"You stick to your pen and typewriter, Mr. Trenholm, and let me run myown crew--nice pirate ye'd make, with silk underwear and a typewriter,"and he and Petrak laughed loudly at the joke,
"I told him you would kill him, and so you will," I said, mustering asmuch defiance as I could under the circumstances.
"Kill Mr. Petrak here! Ha, ha, ha! Why, he's my partner, Mr. Petrak is,and we're going to share this gold together, share and share alike, asgentlemen do."
"He wanted to do for ye, Thirkle," said Petrak, flattered by his masterand unable to see the sly sarcasm of Thirkle in his joy at being assuredof his position, and of getting his share of the gold. "I never give himthe chance, Thirkle. Now if it was some--say Buckrow or Long Jim, theymight give him a gun, but not Petrak. Ye know I ain't the kind to turn ona pal, Thirkle, and I say you stick to me and I'll stick to you, comewhat do. Ain't that right, Thirkle?"
"Reddy, yer true blue," and he took Petrak's hand and shook itvigorously, and patted the little rat on the back. "Stick to Thirkle andThirkle will stick to you like a Dutch uncle, and never mind what Mr.Trenholm has to say. He's not in this, or won't be long, and it won't bemany days before we are counting out the gold between us.
"I've got enough five-pound notes here to buy the little yacht, and I'lltake some of the gold, but not much. We'll be back here before the monthis out, all slick and snug, and then away for London."
"I'll stick like paint, Thirkle; lay to that," said Petrak, grinning atme. "I knew he was on the wrong course when he come that gun talk to me,and I told him Thirkle was all right, and that I knowed ye better thanhim, and so I do--hey, Thirkle?"
"You had better give me your pistols until you are done, Reddy. Ye can'ttrust these gentlemen who write--they have too much imagination, andthey are too foxy for men like you and me, Reddy. There's no telling whathe might do in there if you have guns and knives on ye. Pass 'em over,Reddy, or he'll do for us yet."
Petrak gave up his weapons joyfully, not realizing that he was beingdisarmed for the very purpose I had warned him about--Thirkle was gettingready to finish his job in earnest.
"Now get along and dump the last of it in there, and move navy style orwe'll be here at dark. No more soldiering, Petrak: and see that ye keepyer jaw battened down, Mr. Trenholm, or I'll take a hand in this that yewon't relish and attend to ye in a way ye won't fancy."
"Ye'll play fair with me, won't ye, Thirkle?" asked Petrak.
"Fair as ye deserve. Move along with that cargo."
Petrak began to whine to himself, and I said nothing more until we wentin with the last sack.
"You fool, he'll kill you as I told you he would, but you are too latenow."
"Oh, Thirkle's all right," he grumbled; but he seemed worried since hehad given up the pistols, and he saw plainly enough that Thirkle's mannerhad changed in no undecided way since Petrak had surrendered his weapons.
"All clear," said Thirkle, as we came out. He was measuring rope, and hadhis jacket on and a bundle rolled up, and all the camp litter was removedand dead leaves scattered over our tracks.
"Can I have my guns now, Thirkle? I don't like to go down the trailwithout a gun--no knowin' what might happen."
"Never would do yet, Reddy. Take this knife and cut the lines away fromMr. Trenholm's feet, and we'll fix him so he can navigate back to theboats. You take the lead back, Reddy, because you know the way betterthan I do, and I'll make Mr. Trenholm fast to ye, and follow on. We'llneed to look sharp to make the beach before dark."
"But I want my guns, Thirkle. Fair play's fair play, and I want my guns."
"Never mind the guns, I say. Mr. Trenholm will be right at your back allthe way down, and we can't take any chances now, Reddy. I'll settle himwhen the boats are off, and then you won't have anything to worry about.Cut his feet loose."
"What style of a funeral would suit him?" asked Petrak, busy with thecords at my feet.
"We'll have to select something special for Mr. Trenholm. How about thesame go-off we gave Caldish? Remember Caldish? Wanted to say his prayers.Quick and neat it was, and no mess."
"If he helps with the boats, how about a tow out at the end of a painter,Thirkle? He'll make good shark bait, only some skinny."
"That would do for him nicely, Reddy. We'll let him push the boat wellout, and, when he has her clear, pull away and give him plenty of line.That's a capital idea, Reddy, and we'll use it."
They bound my arms to my sides, and put the end of the rope roundPetrak's waist, so that I was about five feet behind him when it wastaut. In this way we set out for the beach, with Petrak in the lead andThirkle, carrying his bundle and smoking a cigar, treading on my heels,to make me keep close up.
The sun was not quite down, but the jungle was filling with shadows, and,once the sun got below the horizon, night would close down on us with thetropical swiftness that knows no twilight, and the day would go out likea candle under a snuffer.
Thirkle had been drinking of the brandy, and was in a jolly mood, and hehad given Petrak a good swig of it to lighten the little rascal's feet,but I refused the bottle when it was offered to me, for, low as myspirits were, and racked as my body was, I could not come to accept theirghastly hospitality.
If I let the rope tighten between me and Petrak, Thirkle prodded me withthe point of a knife, and, as I was faint with hunger and thirst, andutterly worn out, I frequently stumbled and fell, when they both set uponme and beat me to my feet. Petrak pulling me up with the rope, whileThirkle scourged me with a leather thong.
We had been on the road about half an hour when I recognized the spotwhere Captain Riggs had crawled into the brush to rest, and I began tocomplain loudly and made as much noise as possible, hoping that thecaptain and Rajah might still be concealed near by.
"Keep close!" yelled Petrak, as I let the rope tighten and hung back.
"Get along or I'll flay ye alive!" thundered Thirkle, which was what Iwanted him to do.
"Then don't let those low limbs fly back on me," I cried as loudly as Idared without exciting their suspicion of my purpose. "They knock me offmy feet, and that's why I can't keep close up."
"Shut yer jaw," said Thirkle, and I stumbled along again, wondering whathad become of Captain Riggs, and wondering if he had been lured into thejungle by the shots I had exchanged with Long Jim, and was lost.
I kept straining at the cords about me, but although I hurt the wounds onmy wrists until I was weak from pain, I could not free myself. If nothingbetter offered, I was determined to make a dash at Thirkle if he freed myhands to work at the boat. If I could not surprise him in the dark andget hold of a knife or pistol, I could at least give him a fight even ifI died in a last attempt to save myself. I much preferred to die fightingthan at the end of a rope in the water, as Petrak had suggested.
I knew they would have to find the oars before they could get a boataway, and the missing plugs might cause them a deal of trouble if theylaunched the boats without noticing their loss. I hoped that I might finda chance of escape in the darkness if the boat filled with them afterthey got it into the water.
Finally we came to level ground, and I knew we were close to the beach,for we could hear the rollers. The brush was thicker in the marsh, and wegot off the trail, but we could see patches of the moonlight on the waterahead, and caught the white flash of the waves tumbling on the shingle.
Petrak left the bed of the brook and pushed his way straight aheadthrough the dense foliage which shut us off from the beach. I fell andmade a great racket, setting up a wail about my leg and swearing that Ihad broken it, and begging Thirkle to help me.
He struck at me with his thong, and, although he missed, I screamed atthe top of my voice, as a warning to Capt
ain Riggs, in case he should belurking about. Besides, I hoped my play that I had been badly crippledwould give me a better opportunity to escape or to attack them, as theywould be more careless if they thought I was perfectly helpless.
"I'll give ye something to yell about soon," said Thirkle. "Just wait awhile and I'll give ye something to make a real fuss about. Maybe yethink there's a ship near--maybe there is; but it won't do ye much good,so let's not have any more of this bawling. I thought ye was gamer thanthat, my fine Mr. Trenholm."
"Here we are, Thirkle!" cried Petrak, pushing the wall and bushes asideand showing us the moonlit sea and the loom of the mainland shoulderingup into the stars. "It can't be far to the boats, Thirkle."
We went out into the still warm sand. The moon, lean in its firstquarter, hung over the top of the island, silvering the sand and playingwith the gaunt shadows of the palm-trees, distorting them into queershapes and making grotesque patterns under our feet. The breeze, thesnoring of the waves, the sense of freedom after the hot, reeking jungle,refreshed me, and I almost forgot the doom that threatened. Thirkle stooda minute and scanned the channel, muttering to himself.
"Looks all clear, sir," said Petrak.
"All clear, Reddy. Push on, lad; the boats are right ahead."
"Here we are, sir, all snug," called Petrak, and I saw the indistinctpile in the shadow of the brush which marked the cache of boats.
"No matches, Reddy. Mind ye don't make a flash or we'll have some crafton the prowl along here. We can't take any chances."
"Cut me loose from this cussed line, Thirkle. We can take a turn on atree and hold the writin' chap until we have need for him."
Thirkle cut him free from me, and they bound me to a broken palm-stump. Ipleaded to be put on the ground, complaining about my leg, and Petrakfinally wrapped the rope about my legs and threw me to the ground, moreto keep me quiet than to ease my supposed suffering. They left me layinghelpless in a thicket of young bamboo shoots, with my head and shouldersin the sand. I managed to wriggle on my side so that I had view of theboats, and, what was better, I got my teeth into the rope on my hands andbegan gnawing it desperately.
"Which boat has the stores, Reddy? I'm twisted all around."
"The nighest, Thirkle. The nighest has the stores, and the other thetackle."
"You go round the other side for the block, Reddy. We better take thespare boat with us and set it adrift after we clear the channel, or loadit with stones and let it go down after we are clear of the island. Thenwe'll get the wind and slip down the coast to the first native town.That's better than waiting to be picked up and having to answer questionsthat wouldn't carry by. No Manila-bound boat for us, to land about thetime the _Kut Sang_ was reported overdue."
"Right ye are, Thirkle," said Petrak, stumbling about in the dark. "It'sblack as a Kroo boy in here," and presently he began to drag the blockthrough the dead leaves and brambles.
"'No need for the tackle, sir, once we get clear of the sand, in my mind.We can skid 'em with oars, and lighten the stowed one--hey, Thirkle? Iain't for leavin' no marks hereabouts, and we can drag some bushes overthe wake we leave in the sand, so--"
"We'll see about that when we get clear," said Thirkle gruffly. "Hold yerlip now."
Thirkle was busy pulling the palm-leaves from the boats and clearing thelitter with which they had covered their cache. I could hear him tuggingat the sail which they had spread over the outer boat. The moonlight wasgetting brighter, and more stars were coming out, and the jungle wasbeginning to awaken. A lizard set up a monotonous croak in the branchesoverhead, and insects and unseen things began to stir in the foliage.
"Blast this mess of halyards and gear Bucky strewed alongside--"
I heard Thirkle draw his breath sharply as he left the sentenceunfinished. He drew away from the boat in a quick, involuntary movement,and I managed to twist my neck so that I could observe him. He stoodmotionless for a minute, his figure a queer fretwork of light and shadowfrom the creepers and palms.
"Reddy!" he called cautiously. "Oh, Petrak!" Something in his tones--asuggestion of suspicion that everything was not right--thrilled me.Petrak did not hear him as he was fumbling with the block in the sand andmuttered about a jammed rope.
"Petrak!"
"Aye," said Petrak. "I'll give ye a hand next minute, sir."
"Come here," commanded Thirkle with a hand on a pistol.
"What's up?" demanded Petrak, getting to his feet. "Can't ye startit--what's wrong, Thirkle?"
"Come up here and haul out some of the gear in this boat--move navystyle, lad--we can't be wasting the whole night! Reach in there andclear that mess of halyard."
But Petrak did not move. He knew something was wrong; but whether it wasThirkle he feared, or what Thirkle seemed afraid of, I did not know. Ithought he suspected treachery.
"What's wrong, Thirkle?" he demanded.
"Come on up here, can't ye?"
"What ye want, Thirkle? No funny business for me. Speak out what ye want.Ye ain't goin' to do me dirt, be ye, Thirkle--not Reddy?"
He was whining now, and he was in terror of Thirkle.
"Oh, shut up!" growled Thirkle. "It's nothing, but it give me a turn."
"What was it, Thirkle? What frightened ye?"
"I thought I put my hand into a mess of hair and--"
"Oh, ho!" laughed Petrak. "That's a ball of spun yarn Bucky left. It'snaught but spun yarn, Thirkle. I minded it myself," and Petrak turnedto the block again.
Thirkle moved toward the boat, saying something about how he was gettingold and nervous, and I saw him bend over the gunwale. I watched himclosely, for a hope had sprung up in my withered heart--a hope which Ihardly dared tell myself might possibly be true, after the train ofdisasters which had overtaken me since I went aboard the _Kut Sang_.
I saw a form spurt up out of the boat, and, as it arose, like thefountain that pops out of the sea after a shell strikes, there came aheavy blow and a deep-throated grunt, followed by a hiss that wasmerged with a shrill death-cry.
"Black devil! Black devil!" said Thirkle in a quiet, matter-of-fact way,and then he began to sob and squirm; but the figure that had come up likea jack-in-the-box held him pinned across the gunwale, with his shouldersand arms inside the boat, and his legs writhing and thrashing in the deadpalm-leaves.
"What's wrong, Thirkle? What's wrong?" wailed Petrak.
He stood a second waiting for an answer, and then he started for theboat, but stopped at the edge of the shadows.
"What's wrong, Thirkle? Sing out, can't ye? What's gone amiss?"
Thirkle's legs were quiet now, but I could hear his heavy breathing, andit reminded me of the steam exhaust from an ice-factory.
In spite of the mystery about me, I set my brain to work trying toremember what particular ice-factory sounded just like Thirkle'sbreathing.
"I'll hold him, Rajah," said Captain Riggs. "Go get the other," and thefigure of the Malay boy sprang from the boat and leaped toward Petrak.The little red-headed man gave an incoherent gurgle, and he took to hisheels down the beach. Rajah let him go, and ran to me, where I wastossing about like a dying fish. He hissed to me and swiftly cut me free,and I rushed to the boats, with a tangle of rope still clinging to myfeet.
"Captain Riggs," I cried, "it is I, Trenholm!" and he lifted his handfrom the shoulder of the dying Thirkle and took mine.
"All's well," he said calmly. "Glad to see ye alive, Mr. Trenholm. I gaveye up, and we came back here and went to sleep in the boat, but Rajah wason watch when he heard ye coming back, and I guess he's made an end ofthis beauty. Here, strike a match and let's look at him."
I held the flame down to Thirkle's face, and his clenched teeth grinnedat me through snarling, open lips, but his eyes were glazed with death.We stripped him of his arms and lay him down in the palm-leaves, quitedead.
"Did that other rascal get away?" asked Riggs. "We'll have to wait a bitand see if we can't find him. But probably we better get to sea. Ye knowwhere ye left the plugs and oars?
That little red-headed chap can't domuch harm, and if he gets away we'll find him some day. We'll be backhere in the shake of a lamb's tail, anyhow."
We rigged the tackle and hauled the boat into the sand with littletrouble, and, while Rajah held her on an even keel, we tugged at thepainter and soon had the water lapping at her bows. The stock ofprovisions and water was restowed, and then we smashed the extra boat andtook the oars. We covered Thirkle with sand, but Riggs said he wouldcarry him back to Manila with the gold.
Rajah was in the boat, and we were prying it off the shingle and waitingfor a favouring wave when we were startled with a hail from the jungle.
"Cap'n Riggs! Oh, Cap'n Riggs!"
"Who's there?" I shouted, although I knew.
"Petrak--don't leave me here, cap'n! Take me away from this cussedplace--please, sir, please. I'll be good, only don't leave me on thebeach--I'll die afore mornin', sir."
We took him. He came creeping out of the jungle, sniffling and wailing,and begging not to be hanged, and saying Thirkle and the others had doneit all. We bundled him into the bows, telling him he was a dead man if hemade a suspicious move; but the little cur never had enough courage tofight unless he could stab a man in the back.
Once in the channel we filled away to the south, scooting past the blackupper-works of the _Kut Sang_, as we caught a stiff breeze from thenorth. Then Captain Riggs made me sleep.
It was long after daylight when the captain shook me, and right over uswas a square-rigged ship. She was hanging in stays, and a boat was comingto us from her when I looked over the gunwale. She was an oil-carrierfrom Kobe to Manila.
"Four men out of the _Kut Sang_, ashore on a reef," said Captain Riggs,as we went over her side. "You may put the red-headed gentleman in irons,if you please, sir. Thank you."
And so we went back to Manila, where Petrak was hanged, and the only menwho ever sailed with the Devil's Admiral and lived to tell of it wereCaptain Riggs, and Rajah, and myself, and the story was not written untilafter Captain Riggs had fallen asleep under the poplars of his Maine homeand forgot to awaken. As I write the last of the tale, the wind howls inthe chimney, and the fleecy fog is coming over Russian Hill from thePacific, and hiding the ships in San Francisco Bay, and the last sheetsfrom my pen are gathered up by Rajah, wearing in his girdle the kris thatkilled Thirkle.
THE END
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