CHAPTER XXIV
More Trouble in Sight
Since the return of the master gunner and his party from theirsuccessful chase of the buccaneers, the crew of the _Neptune_ hadbeen increased, though not up to full strength. It was CaptainJeremy's intention to keep a large garrison in the stockade, underCaptain 'Enery, while the master gunner resumed his duties on boardthe _Golden Hope_. Joe Clemens, by virtue of his having been mate ona trading vessel, was appointed to the charge of the _Neptune_ tillsuch time as Captain 'Enery could resume his command.
This was, in a measure, somewhat tactless, for Clemens, not beingone of the original crew of the _Golden Hope_, was looked upon bysome of the men as an outsider who had risen over their heads.
But Joe Clemens, cheerful and easy-going Cornishman that he was,treated this matter lightly, though he was fully aware of it. Onbeing told of the feeling amongst certain of the crew of the_Neptune_, he merely remarked that they would soon get used to it,and that he was quite big and strong enough to look after bothCaptain Jeremy's interests and his own.
It happened, however, that one day, while Captain Jeremy, the mastergunner, and I were in the cabin, a seaman knocked softly and,without waiting to be bidden to enter, came in and closed the doorbehind him.
He was one of the original band of Lymington men, yet CaptainJeremy, ever a strict disciplinarian, liked not the manner of hisentry.
"How now, Cherry?" he asked sternly. "Is this the way--bursting inupon your officers without so much as 'by your leave'?"
"What I have to say must be said quietly, sir," replied the manresolutely.
"Say on."
"There's underhand work aboard the _Neptune_, sir," continued theman. "There's a dozen of 'em in touch with that rascal Slater."
Instinctively I recalled Slater's words: "Dost think I have nofriends aboard the ships?"
"How d'ye know this?" demanded Captain Jeremy coolly.
"I heard 'em talking in the fo'c'sle last night, while I was lyingdown on the cathead for a spell. They'll try to seize the stuff whenwe get it aboard."
"Will they?" said the Captain grimly. "And who may the rascals be?"
Cherry gave the names of about a dozen, all of whom had, like Slaterand his companions, joined the _Golden Hope_ from a Chatham brig."They mean to mutiny, lay hands on the treasure, and place it in thesloop," he continued. "They can scarce hope to take the _GoldenHope_."
Now, the sloop was a small, half-decked vessel, of about ten tonsburthen, one of the craft that Touchstone had found hard by theplace where he had ambushed the buccaneers. These boats had beenbrought round while I had been ill, and now lay close inshore, andalmost abreast of the stockade.
"Why not send an armed force aboard the _Neptune_ and secure them?"asked Touchstone. "They'll lie safely in the bilboes, even if we donot run them up to the yard-arm."
"Nay, I'll play with them awhile," said Captain Jeremy. "Yet I'lltake no risks in the matter. For aught I care, they are rightwelcome to the sloop. And now, Cherry, I thank you for your warning,and rest assured that I'll not forget to recompense you for it."
The sailor withdrew, and long and anxiously the two officersconferred as to their plan of action.
"'Twill be one way out of the difficulty," concluded Captain Jeremy,slapping his thigh as he was wont to do when in high good humour."Sink me! we'll begin our preparations to-morrow."
Accordingly, soon after breakfast on the morrow he was rowed aboardthe _Neptune_, and having assembled the crew, true men and falsealike, he addressed them.
"My lads," said he, "in the course of a few days I hope to have thelong-sought-for treasure in our possession. Now, since no one candeny that I am a just man, I'll speak plainly on what I propose todo. Those of you who left England in the Golden Hope will receive ashare in the _Madre_ treasure, while all hands are entitled to thespoils we recovered from the wreck of the pirate ship. Now, toprevent mistakes, I propose to separate the two; and since the_Neptune_ is of the lighter build, and sails a full knot faster thanthe _Golden Hope_, I'll stow the whole of the _Madre_ treasure inthe hold of the _Neptune_. Thus, should we be attacked whilehomeward bound, the _Golden Hope_ can ward off our foes while the_Neptune_ shows a clean pair of heels. Then, should Providence guideus safely into port, a fair and just distribution will be made erewe warp alongside Poole Quay."
Three cheers greeted this announcement, though I felt certain thatthere were a dozen rogues at least who were laughing in theirsleeves at Captain Jeremy for being a fool.
Ere noon arrived the whole of the treasure that we had recoveredfrom the buccaneering craft was safely stowed away in the strongroom of the _Golden Hope_; while, acting under instructions, JoeClemens and several of the proved members of the _Neptune's_ crewremoved their personal effects to the parent ship.
Meanwhile, the men who garrisoned the stockade had not been idle.They had thoroughly explored the cliff path that led to the nowdeserted buccaneering settlement, and also the road that traversedthe island from north to south, the same one that we had struck onour first expedition into the interior. The cliff route was found tobe far more practicable than the direct one through the forest,though 'twas considerably longer.
Captain 'Enery had constructed several large wheelbarrows so that,with the assistance of a couple of men pulling ahead, the treasurecould be conveyed to the shore with comparative ease; and CaptainJeremy gave orders for several large boxes, or chests, to be made ofstrong wood, each numbered on the lid. These boxes, he announced,would hold the treasure safely during the passage home, till thetime came for it to be duly apportioned.
While this was being done Captain Jeremy sent a party of six trustymen to proceed along the east coast of the island in a southerlydirection till they came to a clump of three small palm treesstanding far apart from the rest of the vegetation and close to thewater's edge. These the men were to cut down, move a hundred yardsin a southerly direction, and set up again as well as they wereable. The seamen did this faithfully and well, whereat CaptainJeremy again slapped his thigh in evident satisfaction.
That the rascals on board the _Neptune_ were in constantcommunication with Slater and his fellows we had no doubt, for twicewe perceived two men swimming off to the ship by night. Yet all thisCaptain Jeremy purposely winked at, being of a mind to let thevillains work their own destruction.
On the morning of the day before we purposed to set out to securethe treasure, two of the rascals rowed alongside the Golden Hole andasked permission to water their ship, as the tanks were well-nighempty. To this request Captain Jeremy readily gave permission, andby the ill-concealed grin on the faces of the rogues when they heardhim agree, I knew that they were setting in a store to last them ona voyage.
Every preparation having been completed, our Captain recalled 'Eneryto take charge of the _Golden Hope_ during his absence, whileTouchstone was again to be in command of the stockade.
"There's mischief brewing," said he to Captain 'Enery. "But, mark mywords, they'll lie quiet enough till the treasure is safely aboardthe _Neptune_. Nevertheless, I know I can rely upon you to takeevery precaution to safeguard the ship; but do nothing to arousesuspicion. Let the men have shore leave if they ask for it; donothing beyond the daily routine, for should those rascals smell arat, all our preparations would count for naught."
At daybreak the force picked out for the expedition paraded outsidethe stockade. There were forty-five all told, composed of fifteen ofthe original crew of the _Golden Hope_ on whom we could thoroughlyrely and thirty of the peasants whom we had rescued from the_Neptune_.
All were armed with muskets and cutlasses, while in the barrows werepiled hatchets, spades, and mattocks, together with a goodly supplyof provisions.
Amid the cheers of those who were left behind, for all, whether trueor false, wished us success, the expedition set out, Captain Jeremyand I walking at the head of the column.
Unless untoward events prevented it, another thirty-six hours wouldsee the treasure of the _Madre de Dios_
within our grasp.