Black Bartlemy's Treasure Part 21

"Why, Cap'n," says one, "'tis all along o' these new 'listed rogues--"

"Aye, master," says another, "and that's gospel-true, theer aren't a right sailor-man among 'em--"

"Then we'll learn 'em to be!" says Penfeather. "Stand forward the new men--show a leg and bustle, ye dogs!" Scowling and muttering, some twelve unlovely fellows obeyed. "I' faith!" says Penfeather, looking them over, "Here's fine stuff for the gallows! And where's the rest of 'em?"

"Gone aboard this morning along o' Toby Hudd the bo's'un!"

"See here, my bright lads," quoth Penfeather, eyeing each scowling face in turn, "learn this--when you come aboard my ship and I say to one o'

ye do this or do that, he does it, d'ye see, or--up to the yard-arm he swings by his thumbs or his neck as occasion warrants. D'ye get me, my bully roarers?"

Not a man of them spake a word, but all stood shifting uneasily beneath Penfeather's quick bright eye, shuffling their feet and casting furtive glances on their fellows.

"Now as to this lump o' roguery," says Penfeather, spurning the still unconscious man with his foot, "have him into the yard and heave a bucket o' water over him. As to you, Farnaby, muster the hands, and stand by to go aboard in half an hour--every unhung rascal."

Without we came on the misfortunate landlord still in the deeps of gloom, but upon Adam's a.s.surance that all damages should be made good, he brought us up a pair of stairs to a fair chamber and there served us a most excellent meal.

Scarce had we risen from table than comes the man Penarth a-knocking, cap in hand, to say the men stood ready to go aboard. We found some score fellows drawn up before the inn, and a desperate lot of cut-throats they looked, what with their hurts and general hang-dog air as they stood there in the light of a rising moon. Having looked them over each and every, Penfeather spat, and setting them in G.o.dby's charge, ordered them to go on before.

"Well, Martin," says he as we followed together, "and how think ye of my lambs?"

"Call them raging tigers, rather--"

"Nay," says he, "tigers be cleanly creatures, I've heard."

"'A G.o.d's name, Adam, why truck with such ill rogues? Sure there be many honest mariners to be had?"

"Why as to that, Martin, good men be scarce and ever hard to come by--moreover these sc.u.m are a means to an end, d'ye see?"

"How so?"

"Just that, Martin," says he, glancing at me in his furtive manner, "a means to an end."

"What end?"

"Ah, who may tell, Martin?" he sighed, shaking his head. Now when I would have questioned him further he put me off thus with side answers, until we were come to the waterside, which is called Deptford Creek.

Here, having seen the others safe embarked we took boat also, and were soon rowing between the huge bulk of ships where dim lights burned and whence came, ever and anon, the sound of voices, the rattle of a hawser, a s.n.a.t.c.h of song and the like, as we paddled betwixt the vast hulls. Presently we were beneath the towering stern of a great ship, and glancing up at this lofty structure, brave with carved-work and gilding, I read the name,

THE FAITHFULL FRIEND.

At a word from Adam the oars were unshipped and we glided alongside her high-curving side where hung a ladder, up which I followed Adam forthwith. She was a great ship (as I say) of some two hundred tons at least, with high forecastle and lofty stern, though I saw little else ere, at a sign from Adam I followed him down the after-gangway where, taking a flickering lanthorn that hung from a deck-beam, he led me 'twixt a clutter of stores not yet stowed, past the grim shapes of great ordnance, and so down and down to a noisome place beneath the orlop.

"'Tis not over sweet, Martin," says he, "but then bilge-water never is, you'll mind. But you'll grow used to it in time, shipmate, unless, instead o' swallowing this unholy reek you'll swallow your pride and 'list as master's mate."

"I've no knowledge of navigation," says I.

"But I've enough for the two of us, Martin. 'Tis a comrade at my back I need. What's the word?"

"No!" says I, mighty short.

"As you will, shipmate," he sighed, "as you will. Pride and bilge-water go well together!" which said he brought me to a dark unlovely hole abaft the mizzen. "'Tis none too clean, Martin," says he, casting the light round the dingy place, "but that shall be remedied and G.o.dby shall bring ye bedding and the like, so although 'tis plaguy dark and wi' rats a-plenty still, despite the stench, you'll lie snug as your pride will permit of. As for me, shipmate, I shall scarce close an eye till we be clear o' the Downs, so 'tis a care-full man I shall be this next two days, heigho! So good-night, Martin, I'll send G.o.dby below with all you lack."

Saying which Penfeather turned, and groping his way into the darkness, left me scowling at the flickering lanthorn.

CHAPTER XV

TELLETH OF A NAMELESS BLACK SHIP

And now within my gloomy hiding-place, dim-lit by flickering lanthorn, I pa.s.sed many weary hours, while all about me was a stir and bustle, a confused sound made up of many, as the never-ending tread of feet, the sound of hoa.r.s.e voices now faint and far and anon clear and loud, the sc.r.a.pe of a fiddle, s.n.a.t.c.hes of rough song, the ceaseless ring and tap of hammers--a very babel that, telling of life and action, made my gloomy prison the harder to endure. And here (mindful of what is to follow) I do think it well to describe in few words the place wherein I lay. It was indeed a very dog-hole, just below the orlop, some ten feet square (or thereabouts) shut in 'twixt bulkheads, mighty solid and strong, but with a crazy door so ill-hung as to leave a good three inches 'twixt it and the flooring. It had been a store-room (as I guessed), and judging by the reek that reached me above the stench of the bilge, had of late held rancid fat of some sort; just abaft the mizzen it lay and hard against the ma.s.sy rudder-post, for I could hear the creek and groan of the pintles as the rudder swung to the tide.

Against one bulkhead I had contrived a rough bunk with divers planks and barrels, the which with mattress and bedding was well enough.

Now opposite my berth, within easy reach of my hand, was a knot-hole the which, by some trick of the grain, had much the look of a great staring eye, insomuch that (having no better employ) I fell to improving on nature's handiwork with my knife, carving and tr.i.m.m.i.n.g around it; and in betwixt my sleeping, my eating and drinking (for Adam and G.o.dby kept me excellent well supplied) I would betake me to my carving and fashioning of this eye and with my initials below it, the which foolish business (fond and futile though it was) served in no small measure to abate my consuming impatience and the dreary tedium.

Howbeit on the third day, my situation becoming unbearable, I stumbled out from my dog-hole, and groping my way past kegs and barrels firm-wedged in place against the rolling of the vessel, I climbed the ladder to the orlop. Here I must needs pause, for, dim though it was, the light from the open scuttle nigh blinded me. In a while, my eyes growing strong, I got me to the main-deck, where again I must stay to shade my eyes by reason of the radiance that poured through an open gun-port. Glancing around after some while, I saw no one and wondered, for here was the main gun-deck. Ten great pieces a side I counted, with ports for divers more. I was yet wondering at the emptiness about me when I heard sudden uproar from the deck above my head, shouts, cries, a rush and patter of many feet, and above all Penfeather's furious hail.

Wondering, I came to the open port, and leaning out saw it was evening with a heavy mist creeping down upon the waters, and through the mist loomed a great, black ship drifting lubberly across our hawse. Louder and more furious grew the shouting above, answered by a hail aboard the great, black craft as, broadside on, she swung towards us.

And now, creeping in the mist, I beheld a small boat with a great, shapeless bundle in the stern-sheets and rowed by a single waterman who swung easily to his oars, scanning now the "Faithful Friend," now the great black ship, like one who bided the inevitable crash. Sudden I heard the roar of one of Penfeather's ever-ready pistols followed by his voice up raised in vicious sea-curses, and glancing up saw the black ship right aboard of us and braced myself for the impact; came a shock, a quiver of creaking timbers and the groan of our straining hawsers as the black ship, falling off, drifted by in a roaring storm of oaths and blasphemy. Now when her battered stern-gallery was nigh lost in the mist, bethinking me of the boat I had seen, I glanced about and beheld matter that set me wondering; for he was the fellow plying his oars with a will and so near that I might have tossed a biscuit aboard him; moreover the great misshapen bundle had lain in the stern-sheets was there no longer, which set me mightily a-wondering.

Long after man and boat were swallowed up in the fog I sat there lost in thought, insomuch that I started to feel a hearty clap on the shoulder and, turning, beheld G.o.dby, a pair of great gold rings in his ears, and very sailor-like in all things from sea-boots to mariner's bonnet.

"Here's a ploy, Mart'n!" says he with a round oath. "Here's yon curst lubberly craft carried away our starboard cat-head and six-feet o' the harpings wi't, sink him! And us but waiting for my lady to come aboard to trip anchor and away. And now here's we sh.o.r.ebound for another two days at the least as I'm a gunner! And all on account of yon black dog, burn him! A plaguy fine craft as sails wi' no name on her anywheres, keelhaul me else! But Penfeather winged one o' the lubberly rogues, praise G.o.d, Mart'n! Which done and with due time to curse 'em, every mother's son of 'em, he turns to--him and the carpenter and his mates--there and then to repair damages. Ha, a man o' mark is Captain Adam, pal."

"G.o.dby," says I, "did ye chance to see aught of a boat carrying a great bundle in the stern-sheets and rowed by a man in a red cap?"

"Nary a blink, Mart'n--why?"

"I'm wondering what came of that same bundle--"

"Hove overboard belike, pal--there's many a strange thing goes a-floating out to sea from hereabouts, Mart'n--drownd me!"

"Belike you're right!" says I.

"Mart'n, Sir Rupert's ash.o.r.e to meet her ladyship, so you'm free to come 'bove deck if so minded?"

"Nay, I'll bide where I am, G.o.dby."

"Why then come, Mart'n, clap your eye on my beauties--here's guns, Mart'n, six culverins and t'others sakers, and yonder astern two basilisks as shall work ye death and destruction at two or three thousand paces; 'bove deck amidships I've divers goodly pieces as minions, falcons and patereros with murderers mounted aft to sweep the waist. For her size she's well armed is the 'Faithful Friend,' Mart'n!"

Thus G.o.dby, as he led me from gun to gun slapping hand on breech or trunnion, and as I hearkened 'twas hard to recognise the merry peddler in this short, square, grave-faced gunner who spake with mariner's tongue, hitched ever and anon at the broad belt of his galligaskins, and rolled in his gait already.

"She's a fair ship!" says I, seating myself on one of the great guns mounted astern.

"She is so, Mart'n. There's no finer e'er sailed from Deptford Pool, which is saying much, split me if it isn't. Though, when all's said, Martin, I could wish for twenty more men to do justice to my n.o.ble guns, aye thirty at the least."

"Are we so short?"

"We carry but ninety and two all told, pal, which considering my guns is pity--aye, vast pity, plague me else! 'Twould leave me shorthanded to serve my guns should they be necessary, which is fair and likely, Martin."