CHAPTER XVI.
GRIFFIN LEEDS AT A DISCOUNT.
I did not expect that Mr. Cornwood would come on shore after what hadpassed between him and me, and I did not hurry on board when I left thehouse of Colonel Shepard. I passed from St. James Square down LauraStreet, into Forsyth, on which the St. Johns House was situated. Ipassed the house several times, looking for Washburn, for I desired toknow what success he had had in looking up Mr. Cobbington. I sawnothing of the mate, and I went into Bay Street, only a square fromForsyth.
I looked in every direction for Washburn, but I could not find him, andI was obliged to give up the search. I found my boat's crew on thewharf, watching some negroes opening oysters. It was done in a veryclumsy manner, compared with the work of a Providence opener I had seenin New York; and my men were not at all satisfied with the manner itwas done, though they had no interest in the job.
"Have you seen Mr. Washburn, Ben?" I asked, as we walked down thewharf.
"Yes, sir; we put him on board half an hour ago," replied the assistantengineer, who preferred to pull a boat rather than be idle.
"That was why I could not find him in the streets of Jacksonville," Iadded. "Has any one come off from the steamer since I came ashore?"
"No, sir, not a soul," answered Ben, decidedly.
I was glad to hear this, for it assured me that Cornwood had not leftthe steamer. The Sylvania was anchored on the other side of the mainchannel, which was near the line of wharves, but not more than aquarter of a mile distant. In a few minutes I was on board. The matewas at supper; and as I had dined within a couple of hours, I did notdisturb him. I went to the steward, and gave him directions in regardto the lunch and dinner for the next day. Cornwood was smoking hiscigar on the forecastle. I took the precaution to tell him that Iwanted to see him in about half an hour or less, that he might not comeinto my room while I was engaged with Washburn.
I had done some thinking over the matter of eavesdroppers on board. Icame to the conclusion that I would have nothing of the kind on board.I had entire confidence in the two engineers, one of whom was the sonof my guardian in Montomercy, and the other had sailed with me sincethe Sylvania had come into my possession. Moses Brickland, the chief,was lying on a sofa in the engine-room. I called Ben, and told themboth enough to enable them to understand the situation, and that someof the later additions to our ship's company might be eavesdroppers. Iasked them to keep an eye on the open windows of my state-room, and letme know if there were any skulking or loitering near them. Moses seatedhimself at one door of the engine-room, and Ben at the other. They wereon deck, next to the rail, where they could see the windows of my room.There was a skylight in the hurricane-deck overhead, which was alwaysopen in this climate when it did not rain. I said nothing about thisopening, because I could hear any person's footsteps on the deck overme.
Washburn came on deck soon after I had made this little arrangement. Wewent into our room by mutual consent, for one had something to say, andthe other wanted to hear it. I explained to him what I had done to trapany listener who might want to know what we said. He replied that hehad thought of doing something of the kind himself; but he did not careto throw suspicion even upon Griffin Leeds by telling others the truestory.
"Well, Washburn, did you find your man?" I asked.
"I am sorry to say I did not," he replied. "But I found where heboarded; and was told he was out, and would not return before nine orten in the evening. I shall try again early in the morning, before hegoes out for the day, for he takes only his breakfast at the housewhere he lodges."
"Where does he lodge?" I inquired.
Washburn gave me the street and number. It was not in the best part ofthe city by any means; and the mate inferred that he was not connectedwith the "first families." But he was none the worse for this. Hislandlord knew nothing about him, and had made him pay a week's board inadvance.
We continued to talk about Cobbington for some time; but we were nonethe wiser when we got through than when we began. Suddenly we heard atremendous scuffling overhead. It sounded as though two men or morewere engaged in a severe conflict. After the first onslaught was over,the voices of two angry men were heard; and one of them was that of BenBowman. Both Washburn and I rushed out of the state-room, he at onedoor, and I at the other.
When we were able to see the combatants, they were found to be BenBowman and Griffin Leeds. Ben had by this time proved that he was themore powerful and efficient of the two, for the octoroon had beenpinned, as it were, to the deck, so that he was unable to do anythingbut kick. The assistant engineer had him by the throat, and thelistener's attempts to speak resulted in nothing but a hoarse, chokingsound, which it was painful to hear. Griffin's strength was rapidlyfailing him under the severe treatment of the engineer.
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In another minute, all hands were climbing the ladder to thehurricane-deck. I noticed that Cornwood came up from the forecastleover the top of the pilot-house, which I had forbidden any one on boardto do, at the beginning of the voyage, to prevent injury to the paint.I concluded that Griffin had come up in the same way. The occasion ofthe strife was plain enough to me as soon as I discovered who wereengaged in it. I felt a little cheap after all the precautions I hadtaken to prevent being overheard.
"Let him up, Ben," I said, when I thought he had done enough.
The engineer at once relinquished his hold on the octoroon, and stoodup. But Griffin did not appear to be able to get up yet. Both of themen were gasping for breath, and neither of them was able to speak forsome minutes. As the waiter lay on the deck, I noticed that he wore noshoes, though he had on a pair of woollen socks. I looked about for hisshoes. I had not seen Griffin before since I came on board.
"It is plain enough what this affair means," I said to the mate, whilewe were waiting for Ben to get his breath, and to be able to explainwhat the occasion of the conflict was.
"It don't need a very long-headed man to explain it," replied the mate."Griffin has been at the old trick again."
"What is the old trick, Mr. Mate?" demanded Cornwood, ratheroffensively.
"If you are a sailor, you will call me by my name," replied Washburn,with dignity.
"Excuse me, Mr. Washburn; but I am somewhat interested in one of theparties to this row," added Cornwood, as he glanced at me. "I meant nooffence, but I was a little excited by the circumstances. I broughtthis man on board, and I am anxious to have him do his dutyfaithfully," answered Cornwood, with what seemed to me to be affectedhumility, for his eye still flashed, and he was evidently struggling tobe calm. "Will you be kind enough to tell me, Mr. Washburn, what theold trick was?"
"Eavesdropping; listening to conversation not intended for him, whichwas going on in the captain's room," replied the mate, rather warmly.
"It is very strange to me, for I have known the boy for years, and Inever heard any of his employers find fault with him before," addedCornwood. "I don't believe there is a better behaved boy in the Statethan Griffin Leeds. Excuse me for saying so much, which I should nothave said if I had not brought the boy on board and recommended him toyou."
I had no fault to find with his statement, as long as it wasrespectful. By this time Ben had got his wind again, and appeared to beready to explain the reason for the conflict which had created such asensation on board. All hands were on deck, gathered around thecombatants. I was satisfied from the beginning that Ben had not begunthe fight, for this was the first time I had ever known him to resortto violence, except when he had been ordered to do so by the mate intwo instances, both of them being the expulsion from the vessel ofCaptain Boomsby.
"Well, how was it, Mr. Bowman?" I asked, calling him by his last namewith a handle to it, as I always did in the presence of the ship'scompany.
"A few minutes before I came upon the hurricane-deck, sir, I thoughtthere was something like motion forward of the foremast. I stood up,but I could not see anything or anybody. But I could not get it out ofmy head that
something was going on there. I spoke to Mr. Bricklandabout it, and he told me to go up and see what it was."
"Where was Mr. Brickland at that time?" demanded Cornwood.
"Mr. Bowman is answering my question, Mr. Cornwood, and you will notinterfere," I interposed, for the Floridian appeared to have taken uponhimself the duty of counsel for the octoroon.
"I beg your pardon, captain," replied Cornwood with a deferential bow.
"I went to the ladder on the starboard side, and mounted to this deck.As soon as I got up here, I saw Griffin lying flat on his face, withhis right ear at the opening under the sash of the skylight. I slippedoff my shoes, and crept as lightly as I could to the place whereGriffin lay. I had no idea of attacking him, and only intended to seewhat he was doing there. As soon as I was satisfied that he waslistening to the conversation between you and Mr. Washburn, which Icould hear, though I could not tell what you said, I just touched himon the shoulder. I meant to beckon him to come away from the skylight,but he did not give me time to do that. He sprang to his feet, and weall know he is a spry fellow, and pitched into me as though I had triedto murder him."
"You lie!" yelled the octoroon, with a savage oath. "You did try tomurder me!"
Griffin leaped from his recumbent position, and, foaming with rage,drew a bowie-knife from his pocket, the long blade of which he threwopen with a jerk of his hand. With the knife gleaming in the air, herushed upon Ben Bowman. He would surely have plunged the blade into hisintended victim, if Buck Lingley had not darted upon him as soon as hesaw the knife. The deckhand was the stoutest person on board, and hebore the octoroon to the deck in an instant, and wrenched the knifefrom his grasp.
"Hold on to him a moment, Buck!" I called to him. "Get some line, andtie him hand and foot!"
Hop Tossford sprang to obey my order. He seized the end of aheave-line, and while Buck drew the arms of the waiter behind him, hesecured them in this position with the assistance of the mate. Thisline was only for temporary use; and Hop soon brought a handful ofpieces of whale-line from the store-room, and the prisoner wascarefully secured. The octoroon struggled to escape, but the mate andBuck held him tight.
"Drop the starboard boat into the water," I continued. "Mr. Washburn,you will deliver him to the police of the city."