CHAPTER IX
THE MAN WITH THE BELT OF GOLD
More than a week went by, in which the ill-luck that had hithertopursued the _Covenant_ upon this voyage grew yet more strongly marked.Some days she made a little way; others, she was driven actually back.At last we were beaten so far to the south that we tossed and tacked toand fro the whole of the ninth day, within sight of Cape Wrath and thewild, rocky coast on either hand of it. There followed on that a councilof the officers, and some decision which I did not rightly understand,seeing only the result: that we had made a fair wind of a foul one andwere running south.
The tenth afternoon there was a falling swell and a thick, wet, whitefog that hid one end of the brig from the other. All afternoon, when Iwent on deck, I saw men and officers listening hard over thebulwarks--"for breakers," they said; and though I did not so much asunderstand the word, I felt danger in the air, and was excited.
Maybe about ten at night, I was serving Mr. Riach and the captain attheir supper, when the ship struck something with a great sound, and weheard voices singing out. My two masters leaped to their feet.
"She's struck!" said Mr. Riach.
"No, sir," said the captain. "We've only run a boat down."
And they hurried out.
The captain was in the right of it. We had run down a boat in the fog,and she had parted in the midst and gone to the bottom with all her crewbut one. This man (as I heard afterwards) had been sitting in the sternas a passenger, while the rest were on the benches rowing. At the momentof the blow, the stern had been thrown into the air, and the man (havinghis hands free, and for all he was encumbered with a frieze overcoatthat came below his knees) had leaped up and caught hold of the brig'sbowsprit. It showed he had luck and much agility and unusual strength,that he should have thus saved himself from such a pass. And yet, whenthe captain brought him into the round-house, and I set eyes on him forthe first time, he looked as cool as I did.
He was smallish in stature, but well set and as nimble as a goat; hisface was of a good open expression, but sun-burnt very dark, and heavilyfreckled and pitted with the small-pox; his eyes were unusually light,and had a kind of dancing madness in them, that was both engaging andalarming; and when he took off his great-coat, he laid a pair of finesilver-mounted pistols on the table, and I saw that he was belted with agreat sword. His manners, besides, were elegant, and he pledged thecaptain handsomely. Altogether I thought of him, at the first sight,that here was a man I would rather call my friend than my enemy.
The captain, too, was taking his observations, but rather of the man'sclothes than his person. And to be sure, as soon as he had taken off thegreat-coat, he showed forth mighty fine for the round-house of amerchant brig: having a hat with feathers, a red waistcoat, breeches ofblack plush, and a blue coat with silver buttons and handsome silverlace; costly clothes, though somewhat spoiled with the fog and beingslept in.
"I'm vexed, sir, about the boat," says the captain.
"There are some pretty men gone to the bottom," said the stranger, "thatI would rather see on the dry land again than half a score of boats."
"Friends of yours?" said Hoseason.
"You have none such friends in your country," was the reply. "They wouldhave died for me like dogs."
"Well, sir," said the captain, still watching him, "there are more menin the world than boats to put them in."
"And that's true too," cried the other, "and ye seem to be a gentlemanof great penetration."
"I have been in France, sir," says the captain, so that it was plain hemeant more by the words than showed upon the face of them.
"Well, sir," says the other, "and so has many a pretty man, for thematter of that."
"No doubt, sir," says the captain, "and fine coats."
"Oho!" says the stranger, "is that how the wind sets?" And he laid hishand quickly on his pistols.
"Don't be hasty," said the captain. "Don't do a mischief before ye seethe need of it. Ye've a French soldier's coat upon your back and a Scotstongue in your head, to be sure; but so has many an honest fellow inthese days, and I daresay none the worse of it."
"So?" said the gentleman in the fine coat: "are ye of the honest party?"(meaning, Was he a Jacobite? for each side, in these sort of civilbroils, takes the name of honesty for its own).
"Why, sir," replied the captain, "I am a true-blue Protestant, and Ithank God for it." (It was the first word of any religion I had everheard from him, but I learnt afterwards he was a great church-goer whileon shore.) "But for all that," says he, "I can be sorry to see anotherman with his back to the wall."
"Can ye so, indeed?" asked the Jacobite. "Well, sir, to be quite plainwith ye, I am one of those honest gentlemen that were in trouble aboutthe years forty-five and six; and (to be still quite plain with ye) if Igot into the hands of any of the red-coated gentry it's like it would gohard with me. Now, sir, I was for France; and there was a French shipcruising here to pick me up; but she gave us the go-by in the fog--as Iwish from the heart that ye had done yoursel'! And the best that I cansay is this: If ye can set me ashore where I was going, I have thatupon me will reward you highly for your trouble."
"In France?" says the captain. "No, sir; that I cannot do. But where yecome from--we might talk of that."
And then, unhappily, he observed me standing in my corner, and packed meoff to the galley to get supper for the gentleman. I lost no time, Ipromise you; and when I came back into the round-house, I found thegentleman had taken a money-belt from about his waist, and poured out aguinea or two upon the table. The captain was looking at the guineas,and then at the belt, and then at the gentleman's face; and I thought heseemed excited.
"Half of it," he cried, "and I'm your man!"
The other swept back the guineas into the belt, and put it on againunder his waistcoat. "I have told ye, sir," said he, "that not one doitof it belongs to me. It belongs to my chieftain," and here he touchedhis hat--"and while I would be but a silly messenger to grudge some ofit that the rest might come safe, I should show myself a hound indeed ifI bought my own carcass any too dear. Thirty guineas on the seaside, orsixty if ye set me on the Linnhe Loch. Take it, if ye will; if not, yecan do your worst."
"Ay," said Hoseason. "And if I give ye over to the soldiers?"
"Ye would make a fool's bargain," said the other. "My chief, let me tellyou, sir, is forfeited, like every honest man in Scotland. His estate isin the hands of the man they call King George; and it is his officersthat collect the rents, or try to collect them. But for the honour ofScotland, the poor tenant bodies take a thought upon their chief lyingin exile; and this money is a part of that very rent for which KingGeorge is looking. Now, sir, ye seem to me to be a man that understandsthings: bring this money within the reach of Government, and how much ofit'll come to you?"
"Little enough, to be sure," said Hoseason; and then, "if they knew,"he added drily. "But I think, if I was to try, that I could hold mytongue about it."
"Ah, but I'll begowk[12] ye there!" cried the gentleman. "Play me false,and I'll play you cunning. If a hand's laid upon me, they shall ken whatmoney it is."
"Well," returned the captain, "what must be must. Sixty guineas anddone. Here's my hand upon it."
"And here's mine," said the other.
And thereupon the captain went out (rather hurriedly, I thought), andleft me alone in the round-house with the stranger.
At that period (so soon after the forty-five) there were many exiledgentlemen coming back at the peril of their lives, either to see theirfriends or to collect a little money; and, as for the Highland chiefsthat had been forfeited, it was a common matter of talk how theirtenants would stint themselves to send them money, and their clansmenoutface the soldiery to get it in, and run the gauntlet of our greatnavy to carry it across. All this I had, of course, heard tell of; andnow I had a man under my eyes whose life was forfeit on all thesecounts, and upon one more, for he was not only a rebel and a smuggler ofrents, but had taken service with King Louis of Fr
ance. And as if allthis were not enough, he had a belt full of golden guineas round hisloins. Whatever my opinions, I could not look on such a man without alively interest.
"And so you're a Jacobite?" said I, as I set meat before him.
"Ay," said he, beginning to eat. "And you, by your long face, should bea Whig?"[13]
"Betwixt and between," said I, not to annoy him; for indeed I was asgood a Whig as Mr. Campbell could make me.
"And that's naething," said he. "But I'm saying, Mr.Betwixt-and-Between," he added, "this bottle of yours is dry; and it'shard if I'm to pay sixty guineas and be grudged a dram upon the back ofit."
"I'll go and ask for the key," said I, and stepped on deck.
The fog was as close as ever, but the swell almost down. They had laidthe brig to, not knowing precisely where they were, and the wind (whatlittle there was of it) not serving well for their true course. Some ofthe hands were still hearkening for breakers; but the captain and thetwo officers were in the waist with their heads together. It struck me(I don't know why) that they were after no good; and the first word Iheard, as I drew softly near, more than confirmed me.
It was Mr. Riach, crying out as if upon a sudden thought:
"Couldn't we wile him out of the round-house?"
"He's better where he is," returned Hoseason; "he hasn't room to use hissword."
"Well, that's true," said Riach; "but he's hard to come at."
"Hut!" said Hoseason. "We can get the man in talk, one upon each side,and pin him by the two arms; or, if that'll not hold, sir, we can make arun by both the doors and get him under hand before he has the time todraw."
At this hearing I was seized with both fear and anger at thesetreacherous, greedy, bloody men that I sailed with. My first mind was torun away; my second was bolder.
"Captain," said I, "the gentleman is seeking a dram, and the bottle'sout. Will you give me the key?"
They all started and turned about.
"Why, here's our chance to get the fire-arms!" Riach cried; and then tome: "Hark ye, David," he said, "do ye ken where the pistols are?"
"Ay, ay," put in Hoseason. "David kens; David's a good lad. Ye see,David my man, yon wild Hielandman is a danger to the ship, besides beinga rank foe to King George, God bless him!"
I had never been so be-Davided since I came on board: but I said Yes, asif all I heard were quite natural.
"The trouble is," resumed the captain, "that all our firelocks, greatand little, are in the round-house under this man's nose; likewise thepowder. Now, if I, or one of the officers, was to go in and take them,he would fall to thinking. But a lad like you, David, might snap up ahorn and a pistol or two without remark. And if ye can do it cleverly,I'll bear it in mind when it'll be good for you to have friends; andthat's when we come to Carolina."
Here Mr. Riach whispered him a little.
"Very right, sir," said the captain; and then to myself: "And see here,David, yon man has a beltful of gold, and I give you my word that youshall have your fingers in it."
I told him I would do as he wished, though indeed I had scarce breath tospeak with; and upon that he gave me the key of the spirit-locker, and Ibegan to go slowly back to the round-house. What was I to do? They weredogs and thieves; they had stolen me from my own country; they hadkilled poor Ransome; and was I to hold the candle to another murder? Butthen, upon the other hand, there was the fear of death very plain beforeme; for what could a boy and a man, if they were as brave as lions,against a whole ship's company?
I was still arguing it back and forth, and getting no great clearness,when I came into the round-house and saw the Jacobite eating his supperunder the lamp; and at that my mind was made up all in a moment. I haveno credit by it; it was by no choice of mine, but as if by compulsion,that I walked right up to the table and put my hand on his shoulder.
"Do ye want to be killed?" said I.
He sprang to his feet, and looked a question at me as clear as if he hadspoken.
"O!" cried I, "they're all murderers here; it's a ship full of them!They've murdered a boy already. Now it's you."
"Ay, ay," said he; "but they haven't got me yet." And then, looking atme curiously, "Will ye stand with me?"
"That will I!" said I. "I am no thief, nor yet murderer. I'll stand byyou."
"Why, then," said he, "what's your name?"
"David Balfour," said I; and then, thinking that a man with so fine acoat must like fine people, I added for the first time, "of Shaws."
It never occurred to him to doubt me, for a Highlander is used to seegreat gentle-folk in great poverty; but as he had no estate of his own,my words nettled a very childish vanity he had.
"My name is Stewart," he said, drawing himself up. "Alan Breck, theycall me. A king's name is good enough for me, though I bear it plain andhave the name of no farm-midden to clap to the hind-end of it."
And having administered this rebuke, as though it were something of achief importance, he turned to examine our defences.
The round-house was built very strong, to support the breaching of theseas. Of its five apertures, only the skylight and the two doors werelarge enough for the passage of a man. The doors, besides, could bedrawn close: they were of stout oak, and ran in grooves, and were fittedwith hooks to keep them either shut or open, as the need arose. The onethat was already shut I secured in this fashion; but when I wasproceeding to slide to the other, Alan stopped me.
"David," said he--"for I canna bring to mind the name of your landedestate, and so will make so bold as to call you David--that door, beingopen, is the best part of my defences."
"It would be yet better shut," says I.
"Not so, David," says he. "Ye see, I have but one face; but so long asthat door is open and my face to it, the best part of my enemies will bein front of me, where I would aye wish to find them."
Then he gave me from the rack a cutlass (of which there were a fewbesides the fire-arms), choosing it with great care, shaking his headand saying he had never in all his life seen poorer weapons; and next heset me down to the table with a powder-horn, a bag of bullets and allthe pistols, which he bade me charge.
"And that will be better work, let me tell you," said he, "for agentleman of decent birth, than scraping plates and raxing[14] drams toa wheen tarry sailors."
Thereupon he stood up in the midst with his face to the door, anddrawing his great sword, made trial of the room he had to wield it in.
"I must stick to the point," he said, shaking his head; "and that's apity too. It doesn't set my genius, which is all for the upper guard.And now," said he, "do you keep on charging the pistols, and give heedto me."
I told him I would listen closely. My chest was tight, my mouth dry, thelight dark to my eyes; the thought of the numbers that were soon to leapin upon us kept my heart in a flutter; and the sea, which I heardwashing round the brig, and where I thought my dead body would be castere morning, ran in my mind strangely.
"First of all," said he, "how many are against us?"
I reckoned them up; and such was the hurry of my mind, I had to cast thenumbers twice. "Fifteen," said I.
Alan whistled. "Well," said he, "that can't be cured. And now follow me.It is my part to keep this door, where I look for the main battle. Inthat ye have no hand. And mind and dinna fire to this side unless theyget me down; for I would rather have ten foes in front of me than onefriend like you cracking pistols at my back."
I told him, indeed I was no great shot.
"And that's very bravely said," he cried, in a great admiration of mycandour. "There's many a pretty gentleman that wouldna dare to say it."
"But then, sir," said I, "there is the door behind you, which they mayperhaps break in."
"Ay," said he, "and that is a part of your work. No sooner the pistolscharged than ye must climb up into yon bed where ye're handy at thewindow; and if they lift hand against the door, ye're to shoot. Butthat's not all. Let's make a bit of a soldier of ye, David. What elsehave ye to guard?"
"Ther
e's the skylight," said I. "But indeed, Mr. Stewart, I would needto have eyes upon both sides to keep the two of them; for when my faceis at the one my back is to the other."
"And that's very true," said Alan. "But have ye no ears to your head?"
"To be sure!" cried I. "I must hear the bursting of the glass!"
"Ye have some rudiments of sense," said Alan grimly.
FOOTNOTES:
[12] Befool.
[13] Whig, or Whigamore, was the cant name for those who were loyal to King George.
[14] Reaching.