STORY ONE, CHAPTER TWELVE.
THE DOCTOR'S DECREE.
As the morning broke bright and clear, the large three-masted schoonerwas running down the Channel under easy sail, and the men were beginningto fall into their places, though all was at present rather awkward andstrange. Captain Studwick and Mr Parkley had gone below,congratulating themselves on having succeeded so far, and placedthemselves out of the reach of Laure's machinations, while Mr Jones,the mate, had taken charge, and was now pacing the deck in company withDutch, who was trying hard to master his pain by throwing his whole soulinto the adventure.
In spite of himself, though, a little suffering face constantlypresented itself before him; and again and again he found his consciencesmiting him, and charging him with cruelty in forsaking his wife--askinghim, too, if he was sure that his suspicions were just.
At such times he recalled the shadows on the blind, set his teeth, andthought of Laure's sneering laugh of triumph, and then his blood seemedto boil up, and it was only by a strong effort that he was able tomaster the agony he felt, mingled as it was with a desire for revenge.
"If I don't get to work at something," he muttered, "I shall go mad."
Just then the sun rose bright and clear, sending a flood of wondrousradiance over the dancing waters, flecking the distant land with goldenradiance and dark shadows, while the soft mists gradually rose higherand higher, gleaming like transparent silver, as they floated overwoodland and down.
"I wonder whether I shall ever see you again," muttered Dutch tohimself, as he leaned over the bulwark, and gazed at the beautifulpanorama by which they were swiftly gliding; and then, turning away witha sigh, he came full upon the dark-skinned mulatto sailor, busilycoiling down a rope, and Dutch started slightly, half feeling that hehad seen the lowering countenance before, but the man paid no heed tohim, only went on with his task with his tarry hands, and finally limpedoff to another part of the vessel.
Just then Captain Studwick and Mr Parkley came on deck, talkingearnestly, and when he went forward to shake hands they looked troubled,and there was an air of constraint in their manner that he could notunderstand.
"Well, gentlemen," he said, with an affectation of ease which he did notfeel, "we are out of our troubles now."
"I don't know so much about that," said Mr Parkley. "Eh, Studwick?"
"No," said the captain, "I don't know either."
"Why, what do you mean?" said Dutch, and his eye involuntarily fell uponthe dark-skinned sailor, who was close at hand. "You don't suspect thatthe Cuban can interfere now?"
"You'd better tell him," whispered Mr Parkley.
"No, no, you tell him," said the captain uneasily, "known him longer,and so on."
"What are you whispering about?" exclaimed Dutch. "Pray speak out."
Mr Parkley looked at the captain for help, but he began to whistle, andwalked away to give an order.
"Well, my dear Pugh, the fact is," said Mr Parkley, taking hold of hisspecial button.
"Pray go on," exclaimed Dutch, "not anything serious?"
"N-no, not serious, but awkward. The fact is your wife came on boardlast night."
"My wife!" exclaimed Dutch, and a flash of joy lit up his face. Thenthe sombre cloud overshadowed it again, and he exclaimed bitterly, "Ihave no wife," and walked away.
"Well, my lad," said Captain Studwick sharply, for the mulatto hadceased working, and, half bent down as he was, stood listening intentlyto all that passed, "you've nothing to do with what those gentlemen aresaying."
The man made a deprecating motion with his hand and bent to his workagain.
"We may as well understand each other at once," said the captainsharply. "Stand up."
The mulatto stood up, but in a half-averted way, and displayed a curioussinister expression, caused by what appeared to be a scar across hischeek, while his eyes seemed shifty and unable to meet the speaker'sgaze.
"What is your name?"
"Tonio," said the mulatto.
"Well, Tonio, mind this: You are engaged here for good pay. I alwayssee that my men are well supplied in their mess, and, in return, Iexpect smart work and strict obedience. Do you understand?"
"Yes, captain," said the man, in a tone half sulky, half-full ofhumiliation.
"That will do. Now go and help that fellow to take a pull at the jib."
The man went limping off, but with great alacrity, passing Dutch, whocame back looking very stern and angry.
"Captain Studwick, I must ask you to put in at Plymouth. Mr Parkley,she must be set ashore."
"But, my dear boy, had you not better see her first. I'm--I'm afraidshe will object to go without."
"No," said Dutch sternly, and he gazed at both in turn. "She must beset ashore as soon as possible."
Captain Studwick walked forward again, whistling, and then pulling outhis glass he took a look at a fast steamer astern.
"Parkley," said Dutch, as soon as they were alone, "I could not say itbefore him, but I have not the manly strength to see her. I am weak aswater, and I could not bear to see her agony. Tell her," he added withhis lower lip working, "that I forgive her, and will pray for her, but Ican never see her again."
"But, my dear Pugh, you must--"
"Good morning, gentlemen," said a voice that made them start; andturning sharply round, it was to find Mr Meldon, the young doctor. "Iwanted to see you, Mr Pugh."
"To see me?"
"Yes, about Mrs Pugh. You know she came on board last night."
"Yes, I know," said Pugh, coldly.
"She must have left her sick bed to come and see you, I suppose. It wasa very ill-advised course, for she was ill."
"Yes," exclaimed Dutch, with an eagerness he could not conceal.
"And I am sorry to say that she is now in a high state of fever."
"Fever!"
"Yes, and quite delirious."
"We must put back, then," exclaimed Dutch. "She must be set ashore--taken home."
"I should not like to take the responsibility of having her moved," saidthe doctor. "If you will take my advice, you will let her remain."
"Let her remain?" gasped Dutch. "Impossible!"
"No," said the doctor, smiling; "the removal is impossible."
"Is she in danger?"
"Not necessarily now; but she would be in great danger if moved. I'mafraid I must ask you to leave her to me. It is fortunate that I was onboard, and that she has so good a nurse with her as Miss Studwick."
Dutch essayed to speak, but no words came, and drawing in his breath asif in intense pain he walked to the side and stood with his head restingupon his hand, looking out to sea, and wondering how this tangle was tobe ended.
"Poor fellow! he seems a good deal cut up about it," said Mr Meldon,who was a dark, earnest-looking man of three or four-and-thirty.
"Yes," said Mr Parkley. "She was to have gone ashore at Plymouth."
"Ha?" said Meldon. "Poor young thing. Great trouble about parting fromher husband."
"Ye-es," said Parkley. Then, to turn the conversation, he said with asmile, "Lucky thing for us bachelors, Mr Meldon. We never have totrouble our heads about the women."
"N-no," said the doctor, looking sharply at his companion, with a broadred stain of blood suffusing his cheeks. "Quite a novelty, though, avoyage with ladies on board. He didn't hear me," he continued, as MrParkley obeyed a sign from the captain to come and have a look throughhis glass at the steamer astern.
"No, sir, he's gone to have a good look at that steamer, as seems as ifshe meant to overhaul us," said Sam Oakum; "but I heard you, and you'reright."
"Let's see, you are the second mate, aren't you, Mr Oakum?"
"Sir, to you, I am," said Oakum.
"But what do you mean by being right?" said the doctor with a smile.
"'Bout having ladies on board, sir. I know I've been voyages beforewith women aboard twice or three times mayhap, and no good can come ofit."
"Ah, you're a croaker, I
see," said the doctor, nodding and laughing."Your liver's out of order."
"Hope I am, sir; and as to my liver, I don't believe I've got one,leastways I can't say as I knows I've one. Ay, ay, sir, coming."
He trotted forward to obey a call from the captain, and more sail washoisted, the steamer still overhauling them, and both the captain andMr Parkley watched her intently, fully expecting to find that this wassome new trick of the Cuban, but to the satisfaction of all concerned itproved a false alarm, and the schooner continued her way onwards towardsthe west.
It soon became evident, even to the greatest doubter, that the doctorwas in the right, and, accepting it as fate that Hester must remain onboard, Dutch devoted himself to the preparations for their cruise,rather avoiding the cabins when possible, and dividing his time betweenreading to the invalid John Studwick, and long talks with old Sam Oakumabout the coast and the places where he swore the old plate-ships lay.
"Lor' bless you, Mr Pugh, sir, and you, Mr Parkley," Oakum said oneday, when Land's End had long been left behind, and all was open water,"I'm as sure of the place as can be. I remember all the bearings, too,so well. Don't you be skeart about that; I'll take you, sure enough."
"Well, Oakum, we are going to trust you," said Mr Parkley, "and if youlead us to success you shall not go unrewarded."
"I don't want no reward, sir," said the old man gruffly. "If it turnsup trumps, you give me a pound or two o' bacco, and I shall besatisfied."
Mr Parkley laughed, and after a time left them together, Dutch seemingto find solace in the old sailor's company as, in a grumbling way, hebegan to talk about the state of those on board.
"Seems to me, sir, as it warn't wise to bring that there poor fellowaboard here, just to die and be wrapped in a hammock, for a sailor'sfuneral: he's allus in your way, and gives a fellow low spirits to see.Look at that steward as the skipper must have, just as if we wanted asteward when we've got 'Pollo, as is as good a cook as ever came to.Great fat fellow to go walloping down just when I wanted some ropecoiled down, and set to blubbering like a great gal because he's lefthis wife behind."
Dutch winced slightly, and turned away to light a cigar.
"By-the-way, sir, how's your missus?" said Oakum.
"Better, decidedly," said Dutch shortly.
"Glad on it, sir. Not as I likes women aboard; but I don't want 'em tobe ill. Good job we've got the doctor here, to see as everybody takeshis salts and senny reg'lar; but what in the world the skipper meant byshipping that great long chap, Mr Wilson, for I don't know. He won'tgo into one o' your soots, Mr Dutch, I know."
"Oh, no," said Dutch, smiling; "he's a naturalist, and going to collectbirds."
"And take 'em out too, sir. He is a long-legged 'un. Why, I see himhit his head twiced up agen the cabin ceiling, and he's allus knockinghis hat out o' shape. Nattalist, eh? Well, he's about theunnattalist-shaped chap I ever see, and all corners. It's my opinion,sir, as when he was made Natur begun him for a geerarf, and when she'ddone his legs altered her mind and turned him into a man. You don'tmind me going on talking, sir?"
"No, Oakum, I like it," said Dutch, though he hardly took in a word.
"Well, sir, he's got a couple of cages full of birds, robins, andsparrers, and starnels, and all sorts, as he says he's going to set freeout in South Amerikee, and bring back the cages full of other sorts."
"Naturalists have queer ideas, Oakum," said Dutch, moving himself. "Butabout this place we are going to. The sea is always calm, you say?"
"'Cept in stormy times, sir, when, of course, she gets a bit thick. Butthere, don't you worry about that; we'll take you right to the spot, andlay you just where you can have the long-boat out with the pumps andtraps, or maybe even get the schooner anchored right over the place, andyou and Master Rasp there can go down and crowbar the gold and silverout in heaps."
"But suppose some one has been there before us," said Dutch.
"Not they, sir: first place, no one knows of it 'cept that furrengentleman; second place, where's the air-pumps and divers' togs, to godown and get at it? I get wondering now why I never thought of a tripout there, after being with Capen Studwick here, but I never did. Andnow, sir, if you'll give me a light I'll have a quiet smoke."
Dutch took out a match-box, and was going to light up, but Oakum held uphis hand to command silence; and before the young man could make outwhat he was about to do, he stepped softly to the side, where a largetarpaulin covered one of the boats lying in its chocks, gave one end ofthe cover a sharp snatch, and the mulatto started up.
"Now then, out o' that," said the old sailor, menacingly. "If you wanta caulk, just you take it below in your bunk."
The man bent his head, as he leaped lightly out, gave Oakum a curiouslook from beneath his half-closed eyelids, and then limped forward.
"I don't like the looks o' that chap, Mr Dutch. He's one o' the sort,that if you hit him, he'd out with a knife and sheath it in a man'sribs. That chap was listening, that's what he was a-doing, though hepretended to be asleep. I don't like the look on him, nor of some moreo' them as come aboard with him, and if the skipper don't look outthere'll be mischief."
"I'm afraid you are given to prophesying evil, Oakum," said Dutch, witha smile.
"Well, sir, I on'y says what I thinks, but, mind you this: if we getback safe, I shall be surprised, for never yet, when I've gone out tosea with petticoats on board have we got back without an accident."
"Nonsense, man."
"'Taint nonsense, sir; it's fate," said Oakum, "and what's more, lookhere, I ain't a sooperstitious man, but the speerits o' them sailors aswas lost in the olden times along o' the treasure ships ain't a-going tolet us get hold o' what they've been watching all those hundreds o'years without making a bit of a how-de-do."