was too late. The next moment a grinding noise was heard, as theship's keel grated over a sunk rock. Then came a tremendous crash,which shook her from stem to stern, and the _Zulu Queen_ was lodged hardand fast on the reef. George collared the steersman; but he was apowerful man, and shook off his assailant's hold. Pulling his capfarther over his face, he ran down the hatchway, but not before Rivershad recognised Jans Van Ryk, a Dutch sailor, against whom Wyndham hadwarned him as one of Bostock's intimate companions.
It was no use following the man. Indeed it would have been impossibleto do so; for in another minute the hatchway was crowded with men, whorushed up, half-dressed and in deadly terror, to know what had happened.
"Where is Mr Wyndham?" shouted the captain. "How can he have allowedthe ship to run on a rock after this fashion, in a light whereeverything is as clear as noonday?"
"Mr Wyndham is in a kind of fit, sir," said Margetts. "He has beensitting there without moving for the last hour or two. You had bettergo to him yourself."
The captain stepped across the deck, and took a look at the first mate'sface.
"Come here, McCarthy!" he cried to the surgeon. "He has been drugged,hasn't he?"
The surgeon put his hand to Wyndham's pulse, and, bending down, inhaledhis breath.
"Yes, sir; he has been drugged with opium. This has been a preconcertedthing!"
CHAPTER FOUR.
There was an uneasy silence for a minute or two, and then the captainspoke again.
"There cannot be a doubt of it," he said. "My lads," he continued,advancing towards a number of men who were gathered in a confused huddleon the forecastle, "I have a few words to say to you. We have traitorson board. The ship has been run intentionally on the reef. By and by asearching inquiry will have to be made respecting it; meanwhile I shalltake the necessary steps for preserving discipline, and I call upon allhere to help me in doing so. Let those who are willing to support mecome forward and say so."
The men looked doubtfully at one another; and presently the greater partof them slunk off and went below. About a dozen of the best handsremained, and, going up to the captain, declared their resolution ofstanding by him whatever might happen.
"Thank you, my hearts," said the captain; "that's cheery! There isnearly a dozen of you, I see. There's Radburn, Marks, Coxwell, Daley,Rutley, Wall, Bateman, Hurd, Hooper, and Cookesley. I am obliged to youall, and I hope your example may help to keep the others right. But wemust guard against a possible outbreak. The first thing will be tobring out some of the arms and distribute them. I had them all stowedaway in my cabin yesterday, half expecting something of this kind. Comewith me, Mr Rivers, and we'll hand them up."
This was soon done, and it was found that enough had been brought up tomake an ample supply for all the party. Besides the carbines,revolvers, and cutlasses, there were several rifles belonging to theofficers and passengers. The captain had two, the surgeon and firstmate one each, Vander Heyden and Moritz, George and Margetts, also hadone each; and all these gentlemen were well acquainted with the use oftheir weapons. They were a formidable party. Even supposing that allthe crew, excepting those on deck, joined the mutineers,--as the captainevidently feared they would,--they might well hesitate to attack sowell-armed and determined a company. At all events, it looked as ifsuch was the case.
"I wonder where Bostock and the others can be," remarked Walters, whenhalf an hour had passed, and everything remained quiet below.
"I have no doubt where they are," said Captain Ranken. "They areransacking Mr Whittaker's cabin, fancying that what they want is there,though cleverly hidden away. It is fortunate that they made thatmistake, as it has allowed us time to make our preparations. Now thenext thing is to send a boat to Mossel Bay--which is the nearest placewhere any ships are likely to be found--and request that something maybe sent to fetch the crew and cargo off this reef."
The pinnace--the most suitable boat for the purpose--was accordingly gotready; and by the time this had been done, and the men chosen who wereto go in her, the first mate had recovered sufficiently to take chargeof her. When he was informed of what had happened, he said he had nodoubt that the opium must have been given him in a glass of grog, whichhe had taken before going on deck. He had poured it out, he said, andmixed it, when he unexpectedly received a message that the captainwanted to speak with him immediately in the cabin. He had hastenedthither, but found the door locked. Supposing that the captain had goneon deck, he had hurriedly drunk off the grog, and followed him. Theopium must have been put in while he was out of the cabin. Heremembered that there had been something strange in the taste; but hewas thinking of important matters, and did not notice trifles, hesupposed.
"Do you remember who it was that brought you the message?" asked CaptainRanken.
"Not very clearly," replied Mr Wyndham; "but I fancy it was Sherwin."
"Likely enough," remarked the captain. "He and Van Ryk are this manBostock's bosom friends. Well, all this must be gone into at a latertime. What we have to do now is to get away as quick as we can."
"There isn't any hope of getting the ship off the reef, is there?" askedRedgy.
"Not the slightest. She can never swim again. But we must rememberthat our chief danger is from these mutinous scoundrels. I am convincedthis plot has been hatched since we left Cape Town. I understand thatall you gentlemen are prepared to stand by me?" he continued, addressinghimself more particularly to Vander Heyden and Moritz, who had hithertosaid very little.
"I am prepared to take my part," answered Vander Heyden, bowing somewhathaughtily. "If we are attacked, I shall, of course, protect my sisterand property. I have no doubt Mynheer Moritz will do the same."
"Certainly," said Moritz in a more friendly tone; "I am prepared tostand by the captain, whatever may happen."
"I thank you," said the captain. "Then we have twenty men on whom wecan rely. I am afraid I must reduce the number to sixteen, as I cannotsend less than three men with Wyndham in the pinnace; but sixteen will,I hope, be sufficient for our purpose. We must keep an armed watch,--four of us in my cabin, and four on deck,--relieving every four hours.I will take charge of one party; Mr Rolfe, the second mate, had bettertake the other. Remember the spirit-room must be carefully watched, andany one fired on who tries to force it."
The dawn had broken before the work was half done, and it was morningwhen the pinnace, with the first mate and his men on board, took itsdeparture. There was a favourable breeze inshore; and to Mossel Bay itwas only an hour or two's sail. But it was quite uncertain how long itmight be before she could return, or rather how long it might be beforeanother vessel could be sent, large enough to carry off the crew andcargo. There might not be any such vessel in the bay, and Mr Wyndhammight have to go overland to Cape Town, before the required assistancecould be procured. In this event, of course, there would be a muchlonger delay--several days, perhaps. If this should prove to be thecase, their situation would be far from agreeable. To say nothing ofthe danger from the mutinous sailors, if a storm should come on, theship might go to pieces, and their only hope then would be to get on thereef itself, and shelter themselves as well as they could until helpcame. Vander Heyden suggested that such as chose it might be allowed toget on board the three remaining boats, and make their way to MosselBay, from whence they might get across the country to their destinationat Natal. But the captain would not agree to this. He pointed out thatof the three remaining boats, the launch had been so damaged when theship ran on the reef, that it could not swim, another--the long-boat--was in such a position that it could not be got at, unless with theconsent of the party below, and the remaining one would not hold morethan four or five with safety. They were but just enough as it was toresist an attack. If they should be further reduced in numbers, thesafety of those who remained behind would be seriously imperilled.
"And what is to become of my sister?" exclaimed Vander Heyden, "if thesescoundrels do attack us?"
"We will all die in
her defence, will we not, lads?" exclaimed CaptainRanken, looking round him. He was answered by a cheer.
"Nay, do not think of me," said Annchen; "I am not afraid. Any way, Icannot allow the safety of the others to be endangered, in order topreserve me from harm." There was a second cry of approval.
"None of us will allow a hair of your head to be hurt," cried Margetts.
"No," said Rivers, "you may be sure of that. But I would neverthelesssuggest that the boat should be launched, and kept in readiness for anemergency. If we should be attacked and overpowered, that might enablesome of us at the last moment to escape. In any case, if a skirmishappears imminent, Miss Vander Heyden and her