CHAPTER XV
TELLETH OF A NAMELESS BLACK SHIP
And now within my gloomy hiding-place, dim-lit by flickering lanthorn,I passed many weary hours, while all about me was a stir and bustle, aconfused sound made up of many, as the never-ending tread of feet, thesound of hoarse voices now faint and far and anon clear and loud, thescrape of a fiddle, snatches of rough song, the ceaseless ring and tapof hammers--a very babel that, telling of life and action, made mygloomy prison the harder to endure. And here (mindful of what is tofollow) I do think it well to describe in few words the place wherein Ilay. It was indeed a very dog-hole, just below the orlop, some ten feetsquare (or thereabouts) shut in 'twixt bulkheads, mighty solid andstrong, but with a crazy door so ill-hung as to leave a good threeinches 'twixt it and the flooring. It had been a store-room (as Iguessed), and judging by the reek that reached me above the stench ofthe bilge, had of late held rancid fat of some sort; just abaft themizzen it lay and hard against the massy rudder-post, for I could hearthe creek and groan of the pintles as the rudder swung to the tide.Against one bulkhead I had contrived a rough bunk with divers planksand barrels, the which with mattress and bedding was well enough.
Now opposite my berth, within easy reach of my hand, was a knot-holethe which, by some trick of the grain, had much the look of a greatstaring eye, insomuch that (having no better employ) I fell toimproving on nature's handiwork with my knife, carving and trimmingaround it; and in betwixt my sleeping, my eating and drinking (for Adamand Godby kept me excellent well supplied) I would betake me to mycarving and fashioning of this eye and with my initials below it, thewhich foolish business (fond and futile though it was) served in nosmall measure to abate my consuming impatience and the dreary tedium.
Howbeit on the third day, my situation becoming unbearable, I stumbledout from my dog-hole, and groping my way past kegs and barrelsfirm-wedged in place against the rolling of the vessel, I climbed theladder to the orlop. Here I must needs pause, for, dim though it was,the light from the open scuttle nigh blinded me. In a while, my eyesgrowing strong, I got me to the main-deck, where again I must stay toshade my eyes by reason of the radiance that poured through an opengun-port. Glancing around after some while, I saw no one and wondered,for here was the main gun-deck. Ten great pieces a side I counted,with ports for divers more. I was yet wondering at the emptiness aboutme when I heard sudden uproar from the deck above my head, shouts,cries, a rush and patter of many feet, and above all Penfeather'sfurious hail.
Wondering, I came to the open port, and leaning out saw it was eveningwith a heavy mist creeping down upon the waters, and through the mistloomed a great, black ship drifting lubberly across our hawse. Louderand more furious grew the shouting above, answered by a hail aboard thegreat, black craft as, broadside on, she swung towards us.
And now, creeping in the mist, I beheld a small boat with a great,shapeless bundle in the stern-sheets and rowed by a single waterman whoswung easily to his oars, scanning now the "Faithful Friend," now thegreat black ship, like one who bided the inevitable crash. Sudden Iheard the roar of one of Penfeather's ever-ready pistols followed byhis voice up raised in vicious sea-curses, and glancing up saw theblack ship right aboard of us and braced myself for the impact; came ashock, a quiver of creaking timbers and the groan of our straininghawsers as the black ship, falling off, drifted by in a roaring stormof oaths and blasphemy. Now when her battered stern-gallery was nighlost in the mist, bethinking me of the boat I had seen, I glanced aboutand beheld matter that set me wondering; for he was the fellow plyinghis oars with a will and so near that I might have tossed a biscuitaboard him; moreover the great misshapen bundle had lain in thestern-sheets was there no longer, which set me mightily a-wondering.Long after man and boat were swallowed up in the fog I sat there lostin thought, insomuch that I started to feel a hearty clap on theshoulder and, turning, beheld Godby, a pair of great gold rings in hisears, and very sailor-like in all things from sea-boots to mariner'sbonnet.
"Here's a ploy, Mart'n!" says he with a round oath. "Here's yon curstlubberly craft carried away our starboard cat-head and six-feet o' theharpings wi't, sink him! And us but waiting for my lady to come aboardto trip anchor and away. And now here's we shorebound for another twodays at the least as I'm a gunner! And all on account of yon black dog,burn him! A plaguy fine craft as sails wi' no name on her anywheres,keelhaul me else! But Penfeather winged one o' the lubberly rogues,praise God, Mart'n! Which done and with due time to curse 'em, everymother's son of 'em, he turns to--him and the carpenter and hismates--there and then to repair damages. Ha, a man o' mark is CaptainAdam, pal."
"Godby," says I, "did ye chance to see aught of a boat carrying a greatbundle in the stern-sheets and rowed by a man in a red cap?"
"Nary a blink, Mart'n--why?"
"I'm wondering what came of that same bundle--"
"Hove overboard belike, pal--there's many a strange thing goesa-floating out to sea from hereabouts, Mart'n--drownd me!"
"Belike you're right!" says I.
"Mart'n, Sir Rupert's ashore to meet her ladyship, so you'm free tocome 'bove deck if so minded?"
"Nay, I'll bide where I am, Godby."
"Why then come, Mart'n, clap your eye on my beauties--here's guns,Mart'n, six culverins and t'others sakers, and yonder astern twobasilisks as shall work ye death and destruction at two or threethousand paces; 'bove deck amidships I've divers goodly pieces asminions, falcons and patereros with murderers mounted aft to sweep thewaist. For her size she's well armed is the 'Faithful Friend,' Mart'n!"
Thus Godby, as he led me from gun to gun slapping hand on breech ortrunnion, and as I hearkened 'twas hard to recognise the merry peddlerin this short, square, grave-faced gunner who spake with mariner'stongue, hitched ever and anon at the broad belt of his galligaskins,and rolled in his gait already.
"She's a fair ship!" says I, seating myself on one of the great gunsmounted astern.
"She is so, Mart'n. There's no finer e'er sailed from Deptford Pool,which is saying much, split me if it isn't. Though, when all's said,Martin, I could wish for twenty more men to do justice to my nobleguns, aye thirty at the least."
"Are we so short?"
"We carry but ninety and two all told, pal, which considering my gunsis pity--aye, vast pity, plague me else! 'Twould leave me shorthandedto serve my guns should they be necessary, which is fair and likely,Martin."
"And black rogues they are!" says I.
"Never clapped eyes on worse, pal, kick me endwise else! But CaptainAdam's the man for such and I mean to work 'em daily, each and every,at my guns as soon as we be well at sea. Ah, there soundeth TobyHudd's pipe--all hands on deck--this should be her ladyship comingaboard. So here's me aloft and you alow, and good luck to both, pal."Saying which he nodded, gave a hitch to his wide galligaskins androlled away. Now coming to the gun-port I have mentioned I must needspause there awhile to look out across the misty river already darkeningto evening; and thus presently beheld a boat, vague and blurred atfirst, but as it drew nearer saw in the stern-sheets four gallants wholaughed and talked gaily enough, and the muffled forms of two women,and in one, from the bold, free carriage of her head, I recognised,despite hood and cloak, my Lady Joan Brandon; nay, as the boat drew in,I heard the sweet, vital tones of her voice, and with this in my ears Icaught up my lanthorn and so descended to the orlop. Now as I pausedat the narrow scuttle that gave down to my noxious hiding-place, Ithought to hear a step somewhere in the gloom below.
"Ha, Godby!" says I. "Are you down there, man?" But getting noanswer, I descended the ladder, bethinking me of the rats (whereof Ihad no lack of company), and coming into my dog-hole, closed therickety door, and having supped, cast myself down upon my bed and blewout the light, and despite the rustle and scutter away there in thedark beyond my crazy door I was very soon asleep.
And in my sleep what must I dream of but rats with eyes that glared inthe dark, that crawled ever nearer, while one that crept upon my bosomgrew and swe
lled into a great fellow with a steel hook in place of onehand, a face with flashing white teeth and glowing eyes that peeredclose ere eyes and teeth vanished, and I sunk down and down into ablack emptiness of dreamless slumber.