CHAPTER SIX.
SUSPICIONS ALLAYED AND RE-AWAKENED.
Gascoyne, followed by his man Jo Bumpus, sped over the rugged mountainsand descended the slopes on the opposite side of the island soon afternightfall, and long before Captain Montague, in his large andwell-manned boat, could pull half way round in the direction of thesequestered bay where the _Foam_ lay quietly at anchor.
There was not a breath of wind to ruffle the surface of the glassy sea,as the captain of the sandal-wood trader reached the shore and uttered alow cry like the hoot of an owl. The cry was instantly replied to, andin a few minutes a boat crept noiselessly towards the shore, seeming, inthe uncertain light, more like a shadow than a reality. It was rowed bya single man. When within a few yards of the shore, the oars ceased tomove, and the deep stillness of the night was scarcely broken by the lowvoice of surly Dick demanding--"Who goes there?"
"All right, pull in," replied Gascoyne, whose deep bass voice soundedsepulchral in the almost unearthly stillness. It was one of those darkoppressively quiet nights which make one feel a powerful sensation ofloneliness, and a peculiar disinclination, by word or act, to disturbthe prevailing quiescence of nature--such a night as suggests the ideaof a coming storm to those who are at sea, or of impending evil to thoseon land.
"Is the mate aboard?" inquired Gascoyne.
"He is, sir."
"Are any of the hands on shore?"
"More than half of 'em, sir."
Nothing more was said; and in a few minutes Gascoyne was slowly pacingthe quarter-deck of his little vessel in earnest consultation with hisfirst mate. There seemed to be some difference of opinion between thecaptain and his officer, for their words, which at first were low, atlength became audible.
"I tell you, Manton, it won't do," said Gascoyne, sternly.
"I can only suggest what I believe to be for the good of the ship,"replied the other, coldly. "Even if you succeed in your attempt, youwill be certain to lose some of our hands; for although the best of themare on shore, the commander of the _Talisman_ will think those thatremain too numerous for a sandal-wood trader, and you are aware that weare sufficiently short-handed in such dangerous seas."
The latter part of this speech was uttered in a slightly sarcastic tone.
"What would you have me do, then?" demanded Gascoyne, whose usualdecision of character seemed to have deserted him under the influence ofconflicting feelings, which, the first mate could plainly perceive,agitated the breast of his commander, but which he could by no meansaccount for. Certainly he had no sympathy with them, for Manton's was ahard, stern nature--not given to the melting mood.
"Do?" exclaimed the mate vehemently, "I would mount the red, and get outthe sweeps. An hour's pull will place the schooner on the other side ofthe reef. A shot from Long Tom will sink the best boat in the serviceof his Britannic Majesty, and we could be off and away with the landbreeze before morning."
"What! sink a man-of-war's boat!" exclaimed Gascoyne; "why, that wouldmake them set us down as pirates at once, and we should have to run thegauntlet of half the British navy before this time next year."
Manton received this remark with a loud laugh, which harshly disturbedthe silence of the night.
"That is true," said he, "yet I scarcely expected to see CaptainGascoyne shew the white feather."
"Possibly not," retorted the other, grimly; "yet methinks that he whocounsels flight shews more of the white feather than he who would shovehis head into the very jaws of the lion. It won't do, Manton; I have myown reasons for remaining here. The white lady must in the meantimesmile on the British commander. Besides, it would be difficult, if notimpossible, to do all this and get our fellows on board again beforemorning. The land-breeze will serve to fill the sails of the _Talisman_just as well as those of the _Foam_; and they're sure to trip theiranchor to-night, for, you'll scarcely believe it, this mad little fellowMontague actually suspects me to be the pirate Durward!"
Again the harsh laugh of Manton disturbed the peaceful calm, and thistime he was joined by Gascoyne, who seemed at length to have overcomethe objections of his mate, for their tones again sank into inaudiblewhispers.
Shortly after this conversation the moon broke out from behind a bank ofclouds, and shone brightly down on land and sea, throwing into boldrelief the precipices, pinnacles, and gorges of the one, and coveringthe other with rippling streaks of silver. About the same time the oarsof the man-of-war's boat were heard, and in less than half an hourCaptain Montague ascended the side of the _Foam_, where, to his greatsurprise, he was politely received by Gascoyne.
"Captain Gascoyne has reason to be proud of his pedestrian powers," saidthe young commander; "he must have had urgent reason for making suchgood use of his legs since we last met."
"To do the honours of his own ship, when he expects a visit from aBritish officer, is surely sufficient reason to induce a poor skipper totake an extra walk of a fine evening," replied Gascoyne, blandly."Besides, I know that men-of-war are apt to take a fancy to the crews ofmerchantmen sometimes, and I thought my presence might be necessary hereto-night."
"How?" exclaimed Montague, quickly. "Do you fancy that your single arm,stout though it be, could avail to prevent this evil that you dread if Ithink proper to act according to established usage in time of war."
"Nay, that were extreme vanity indeed," returned the other, "but I wouldfain hope that the explanations which I can give of the danger of ourpeculiar trade, and the necessity we have for a strong crew, will induceCaptain Montague to forego his undoubted privilege and right on thisoccasion."
"I'm not sure of that," replied Montague, "it will depend much on yourexplanations being satisfactory. How many men have you?"
"Twenty-two."
"So many! that is much more than enough to work so small a vessel."
"But not more than enough to defend my vessel from a swarm of bloodysavages."
"Perhaps not," returned Montague, on whom the urbanity and candour ofthe captain of the _Foam_ were beginning to have a softening influence."You have no objection to let me see your papers, and examine your ship,I suppose."
"None in the world," replied Gascoyne, smiling, "and if I had, it wouldmake little difference, I should imagine, to one who is so well able toinsist on having his will obeyed."--(He glanced at the boat full ofarmed men as he spoke.)--"Pray, come below with me."
In the examination that ensued Captain Montague was exceedingly strict,although the strength of his first suspicions had been somewhat abatedby the truthful tone and aspect of Gascoyne, and the apparentreasonableness of all he said; but he failed to detect anything in thepapers, or in the general arrangements of the _Foam_, that could warranthis treating her otherwise than as an honest trader.
"So," said he, on returning to the deck; "this is the counterpart of thenoted pirate, is it? You must pardon my having suspected you, sir, ofbeing this same Durward, sailing under false colours. Come, let me seethe points of difference between you, else if we happen to meet on thehigh seas I may chance to make an unfortunate hole in your timbers."
"The sides of my schooner are altogether black, as you see," returnedGascoyne. "I have already explained that a narrow streak of reddistinguishes the pirate, and this fair lady" (leading Montague to thebow) "guides the _Foam_ over the waves with smiling countenance, while ascarlet griffin is the more appropriate figurehead of Durward's vessel."
As he spoke, the low boom of a far distant gun was heard. Montaguestarted, and glanced inquiringly in the face of his companion, whoselooks expressed a slight degree of surprise.
"What was that, think you?" said Montague, after a momentary pause.
"The commander of the _Talisman_ ought, I think, to be the best judge ofthe sound of his own guns."
"True," returned the young officer, somewhat disconcerted; "but youforget that I am not familiar with the eruptions of those volcanicmountains of yours; and, at so great a distance from my ship, with suchhills of rock and lava between us, I ma
y well be excused feeling alittle doubt as to the bark of my own bull-dogs. But that signalbetokens something unusual. I must shorten my visit to you, I fear."
"Pray do not mention it," said Gascoyne, with a peculiar smile; "underthe circumstances I am bound to excuse you."
"But," continued Montague, with emphasis, "I should be sorry indeed topart without some little memorial of my visit. Be so good as to orderyour men to come aft."
"By all means," said Gascoyne, giving the requisite order promptly, for,having sent all his best men on shore, he did not much mind the loss oneor two of those that remained.
When they were mustered, the British commander inspected them carefully,and then he singled out surly Dick, and ordered him into the boat. Aslight frown rested for a moment on Gascoyne's countenance, as heobserved the look of ill-concealed triumph with which the man obeyed theorder. The expression of surly Dick, however, was instantly exchangedfor one of dismay as his captain strode up to him, and looked in hisface for one moment with a piercing glance, at the same time thrustinghis left hand into the breast of his red shirt.
"Goodbye," he said, suddenly, in a cheerful tone, extending his righthand and grasping that of the sailor. "Goodbye, lad; if you serve theking as well as you have served me, he'll have reason to be proud ofyou."
Gascoyne turned on his heel, and the man slunk into the boat with anaspect very unlike that of a bold British seaman.
"Here is another man I want," said Montague, laying his hand on theshoulder of John Bumpus.
"I trust, sir, that you will not take that man," said Gascoyneearnestly. "I cannot afford to lose him; I would rather you should takeany three of the others."
"Your liberality leads me to think that you could without muchdifficulty supply the place of the men I take--but three are too many.I shall be satisfied with this one. Go into the boat, my lad."
Poor John Bumpus, whose heart had been captivated by the beauties of theisland, obeyed the order with a rueful countenance; and Gascoyne bit hislip and turned aside to conceal his anger. In two minutes more the boatrowed away from the schooner's side.
Not a word was spoken by any one in the boat until a mile had separatedit from the schooner. They had just turned a point which shut thevessel out of view, when surly Dick suddenly recovered hisself-possession and his tongue, and, starting up in an excited manner,exclaimed to Montague--
"The schooner you have just left, sir, is a pirate. I tell the truth,though I should swing for it."
The crew of the boat ceased rowing, and glanced at each other insurprise on hearing this.
"Ha! say you so," exclaimed Montague, quickly.
"It's a fact, sir; ask my comrade there, and he'll tell you the samething."
"He'll do nothin' o' the sort," sharply returned honest Bumpus, who,having been only a short time previously engaged by Gascoyne, couldperceive neither pleasure nor justice in the idea of being hanged for apirate, and who attributed Dick's speech to an ill-natured desire to gethis late commander into trouble.
"Which of you am I to believe?" said Montague, hastily.
"W'ich ever you please," observed Bumpus, with an air of indifference.
"It's no business o' mine," said Dick, sulkily; "if you choose to letthe blackguard escape, that's your own look out."
"Silence, you scoundrel," cried Montague, who was as much nettled by afeeling of uncertainty how to act as by the impertinence of the man.
Before he could decide as to the course he ought to pursue, the reportof one of the guns of his own vessel boomed loud and distinct in thedistance. It was almost immediately followed by another.
"Ha! that settles the question; give way, my lads, give way."
In another moment the boat was cleaving her way swiftly through the darkwater in the direction of the _Talisman_.