CHAPTER VII.
An Unexpected Departure.
On the morning following the Chinese New Year, with a favoring westwind the "St. George" put to sea with Green at the helm, because theCaptain was unable to find a man that he liked better, who was capableof taking his place. Restlessly the Captain paced up and down thedeck, gazing at the island in the moonlight until it was lost in thesea. As soon as the morning light gave better opportunities, heclimbed to the crow's nest and with a field glass searched the westernhorizon, and not until the sun was well up did he push the glasstogether. Then he muttered to himself as he came down from the rigging:
"My fears are vain. Why, that Italian priest wouldn't have the Chiefof Police send a steam launch after us on account of that boy. And yetRedfox states positively that he sent the agents of the police to thesailors' home, to sidle up to the crew that I dismissed and to try toget out of them all the information they could. But what do they know?What can they prove?--Oh, I am such a coward! Come, John, come. Drivethese stupid fears out of your head. Think of the future and not ofthe past."
The Captain went to the helmsman and found the boatswain and firstofficer, Redfox, with him. All greeted the Captain in a becomingmanner and wished for favoring winds to carry them on their way.
"We could make use of them all right," cried the Captain. "Gray, theship can carry more canvas. Set all the sails, and Green, do you steeras straight as a crow flies for the Channel of Balintang. How far isit to Balintang, Redfox?"
"Four hundred and fifty sea miles, but we can save a hundred miles byholding for the southern point of Luzon--"
"Yes, and be wrecked on some one of the hundred reefs and islands whichmake the route by the Philippines so dangerous! No, Mr. Redfox, thoughit is of great importance for me to get to Melbourne as soon aspossible, I shall not take any risks going that way. We'll go fartherto the north through the Balintang, from there down between the Palauand Caroline Islands, on through by the Soloman Islands, and theLousiade Archipelago."
"We shall meet with dangerous seas that way, too, but if it's the routeyou've decided on, that's all there is to it. What's going on with thethree hundred Chinamen in the steerage?"
"I don't know. Let them stay down where they are; they won't suffocateyet awhile, and we'll have peace on deck for an hour or two," growledthe Captain.
"With the last lot that came on board there was a little pigmy, barelyten years old," said Gray. "An old Chinaman carried him in his armsand said he was asleep. It seemed to me that he was in a stupor, and Ihad more than half a mind to send them back, and then it occurred to methat we could use the lad in the kitchen, as the cook's assistant.I'll get the boy, Captain, and let you see what you think of giving himover to the cook. By cuffs and knocks perhaps he can be developed intosomething useful."
"Go ahead, Gray," answered the Captain. "And you, Redfox, want mynephew, of whom this small Chinaman makes me think." Then he added ina low tone: "Since our last talk I have thought the thing over.--Youare right. It cannot be otherwise. He must disappear, at least for atime, that is, until we are in possession of the money; later I willrestore it to him."
"Quite right. And if--by any accident--he should fall from therigging, or else--"
"No, no, I won't have him put to death. God knows I wish my brotherwere alive. The thought even that perhaps in my drunkenness Isanctioned the changing of his medicine, almost drives me mad.--I amsatisfied, though, that we will have to hide this boy for a time insome institution, and then announce to the authorities that at theshipwreck, which we contemplate having, he perished."
"Captain, you are always for half-way measures. But as you like, solong as you hold fast to our agreement--the half of the property."
"On the day on which I come into possession of the property, the halfis yours."
"Very well. You have sworn to this, and now be assured that just sosurely as you betray me, or attempt to cheat me out of the wages of mysins, you are a dead man, even if at that very hour I go to eternaldamnation with you."
"You may depend upon me. Half and half, just as I have sworn. And nowI'll go for my nephew."
With these words the Captain stepped into the cabin. Through thiscabin ran a partition, and in one corner of the smaller part Willy hadhung his hammock. So soundly had he slept, that his first knowledgethat the "St. George" was under sail came when he noticed the motion ofthe ship, and heard the swishing of the water.
"O dear! We've left Hongkong, and Father Somazzo couldn't get me awayfrom my uncle," was his first thought. "And last night I dreamed thathe did get me away, and that Brother Onufrio and Peppo were with me,but I can't remember where.--O dear, we are out at sea and on the wayto Australia, or God knows where."
Willy was almost in tears. Father Somazzo's comforting words came tohis mind, then kneeling down for a short morning prayer, he commendedhimself to the care of his guardian angel. Strengthened by the thoughtthat God's holy guardian angels are companions and protectors at sea aswell as on land, he was rising from his knees just as his uncle cameinto the room.
"What, up and dressed! By the seven sleepers of old, I verily believethat you have been praying! That's what they set you to doing at thepension, but you'll soon get over it; a seaman has no time for any suchsuperfluous business as that."
"Superfluous to say one's prayers?" questioned Willy in utmostsurprise, opening wide his big blue eyes. "The good Fathers prayedevery day, and used to say that 'he who knows not how to pray, the seawill teach to pray'. What will become of us, if God and his angels donot watch over and guard us?"
"Oh, dear me! You talk just like the preaching Brothers," laughed theCaptain, in a way that made the boy shudder.
"Well, for aught that I care keep on praying to your guardian angel towatch over you, but now go into the kitchen and get a cup of coffee anda biscuit or two. Hurry yourself. In five minutes be ready for workand report on deck to the first officer."
In the meantime the boatswain had started for the steerage, where threehundred Chinamen were packed like herrings on the floor and in theberths along the sides of the room. When he opened the trap-door to godown the stairs, the poisonous stench which assailed his nostrilsalmost knocked him down. "By all the great sharks in the sea," hecried angrily, "I believe it would be easier to breathe in the bottomof the ocean than down there with those pig-tailed Chinamen! He! Idon't want to go down there. Be quick, and send the interpreter uphere," he called.
A babel of Chinese words came from the unventilated room which waslighted by an old kerosene lamp, and the crowd pushed to the gangway toget up on deck. The boatswain thundered "Back", and to make his wordsemphatic as well as intelligible, drew his revolver. The men wentback, and Lihoa brought his nephew, the small Peppo, to the foot of thegangway. "Tell him that he is to let us come out on deck before wesuffocate in this vile hole," commanded Lihoa.
As soon as Peppo began to tell in English what he had been told to say,the boatswain cried out: "Ha, ha! So you are the interpreter, youlittle pigmy? Why, that's all right. How lucky! Come up. I amlooking for you, but your pig-tailed cousins will have to stay downthere. They won't suffocate for awhile; the air of the steerage isthicker and more nourishing than that on deck."
After a little parleying Lihoa let his nephew go. Quickly he ran upthe ladder, and when Gray had closed the trap-door he threw himself athis feet, and with outstretched hands begged to land, because he hadbeen brought on board against his will.
"Land?" laughed Gray. "Land on what? We have been under sail for sixhours or more and are now a goodly number of miles from Hongkong, andprobably won't see land again for weeks. For good or for evil, forbetter or for worse, my little pigmy, you'll have to go with us untilwe land those cousins of yours in Australia. Get up. I'll take you tothe kitchen, and there our cook will find so much for you to do, thatyou won't have time for sad thoughts."
With these words he seized Peppo by the arm and led him to the kitchen,wh
ere he gave him over to the cook. The fat cook with the big whiteapron looked at the slender youth half angrily, half compassionately,and grumbled:
"That little Chinaman is to give me the promised help? How is he tolift the heavy kettles of rice off the fire, Mr. Gray?"
"Well now, Mr. Blue, it's better to have a little help than none atall. Why, indeed, you'll have to lift the heavy kettles off the fireyourself. The boy can peel potatoes and wash dishes."
"Yes, and break more than his neck is worth in Brothers. Iunderstand.--Now, little one, come here and get into this apron, andbegin work.--Oh, wait a moment. You have not had any breakfast.There, take that bowl of rice; you are more accustomed to that than toour bread and coffee. When you have finished get at those dishes, andwash and wipe them quicker than scat, and for every one you break aprecious good thump you'll get."
With tears in his eyes poor little Peppo choked down his rice, and wentto work. "Oh, dear," he said to himself, as he dipped the plates inhot water and burned his fingers trying to get them out, "Oh, dear, howGod is punishing me for my disobedience! If I had only stayed where Iwas told. Father Somazzo must have known what Lihoa was going to do.This is what I get for running off and having my own way. And whoknows whether I'll ever see Hongkong and the good Fathers again so longas I live?"
Poor little Peppo's cup was full to overflowing. As with tremblingfingers he kept on fishing the hot plates out of the dishpan, henoticed that all the plates had on them the word "St. George"; then herecalled that that was the name of Willy's father's boat. Just as itwas dawning on him that he must be on the "St. George" the kitchen dooropened and he heard a well-known voice say, "Give me some breakfastquicker than a wink, dear cook, for I've got to go to work as cabin-boyright away."
Peppo was walking across the floor to the crockery chest to put away adozen or more clean plates which he had in his hands, when at the soundof the voice he turned and saw Willy whom the Captain had given a pushthat sent him half across the kitchen. The small Chinaman gave a cryof surprise and let the plates fall on the floor where they broke intoa thousand rattling pieces. Angrily the cook sprang at him, and wouldhave struck him with the big wooden cooking spoon, if Willy had notcome between them and received the blow meant for Peppo.
"Peppo, Peppo," he cried, "are you here?"
"Yes, Willy, as a punishment for my disobedience. And now see whatmore mischief I have done, and what more punishment I shall get. Thecook will beat me half to death for breaking all the beautiful plates,"moaned Peppo.
"But I was all to blame for that," said Willy. "I frightened you sothat you let them fall. That's so, isn't it, dear cook? You won'tpunish him, will you?"
The cook's anger was somewhat mollified. The good-natured man waspleased with the boys, and gave them both some breakfast on a littletable. Peppo told of his adventures, and Willy comforted him bysaying, "You have been disobedient and you'll have to take yourpunishment, but the dear God ordained it that you should come to me.We'll pray together and be good, so that our holy guardian angels willtake us back to Hongkong again to the Fathers."
Just here the boatswain came in and ordered Willy on deck, or theywould have continued talking indefinitely.