Cormorant Crag Part 83

"Didn't you see the schooner hoist a flag?"

"Of course I did, but I thought she was a friend. Why are they going to fight? Oh, I know: it's only a sham fight, for practice."

"I don't believe it is sham; the skipper looked too serious. I saw him showing his teeth, and the men all look in earnest. They've been doing something old Jacques don't like, and he's going to bring them to their senses. Here, I say, you're not getting those ready for breakfast?"

They were opposite the galley as Vince spoke, and he had suddenly caught sight of the cook, who was hurrying on his fire, and heating about half a dozen rods of iron between the bars of the stove.

"Oh yes, I am," said the man, with a grin--"for somebody's breakfast. I say, youngsters, I'd go down below if I was you; it may mean warm work if the wind don't come soon."

"What has the wind to do with it?" said Vince.

"To do with it! Everything, my lad. If the wind comes, we shall run, of course. We don't want to fight."

"But why are we going to fight the schooner?"

"The schooner!" said the man, staring. "Nonsense! She belongs to Jarks, and trades to the south coast. Didn't you see her signal?"

"Yes."

"Well, that means one of King Billy's cutters is in sight from there, and she'll be nearing before long."

"But what are those rods for?" said Mike eagerly.

"Don't be such a blockhead, Ladle!" cried Vince excitedly. "Why did we make the poker red-hot when we wanted to fire the old ship gun on your lawn?"

"Look--look!" cried Mike.

There was no need, for Vince had seen the white flying jib of a cutter coming into sight round the end of the Crag, with plenty of wind urging her on, while, by the time she was clear, a faint puff of light air made the schooner's sails shiver, but only for a few moments, then it was calm again, while the cutter, now quite clear of the point, was careening over and gliding rapidly along, with a pleasant breeze astern.

Just then the captain came forward, looking black as thunder, taking no notice of the boys, but giving a few sharp orders to the men to stand by ready to take advantage of the first puff of wind.

"We're not going below, are we?" whispered Mike.

"No; I want to see what's done," said Vince.

"Then you like fighting before breakfast better than I do," said the cook. "Look, there goes her colours, and she'll send a shot across the _Shark's_ bows directly. We shall get it next."

He had hardly spoken before there was a white puff of smoke from the cutter, and before the report came echoing from the towering rocks of the Crag the boys saw the water splash up twice from somewhere near the schooner's bows, while within half a minute another shot was fired across the lugger's course, as she glided slowly along with the swift current, which was drawing them nearer the Crag.

"Bad job for us as old Daygo arn't here," said the cook.

"Why?" asked Vince.

The man laughed.

"Why, if he were aboard and the wind came up, he'd run the _Marie_ in among the rocks."

"And into the pool?" said Vince eagerly.

"Not likely, my lad. No, he'd manoeuvre her right in, and lead the revenoos after us, till the cutter was stuck on one of the fang rocks, and leave her there, perhaps for good. Bound to say the skipper wishes Master Daygo was here."

Vince looked round, and thought of the fierce currents and sunken rocks, which a sailing boat might pa.s.s over in safety, but which would be fatal to a vessel of the cutter's size.

Just then the cook laughed, and the boys looked at him inquiringly.

"They think we are lying to on account o' their guns," said the man; "but only wait till we ketch the wind."

"Do you think they know these vessels are--"

"Smugglers?" said the cook, for Vince had not finished the sentence.

"Ay, they know fast enough, and they think they're in luck, and have dropped upon a strong dose of prize money; but they don't know old Jarks."

"Will he fight?" said Mike excitedly. "Is these pokers getting red-hot?" said the man, grinning. "Ay, he'll fight. He's a Frenchy, but he's got the fighting stuff in him. 'Course he'll run. He don't want to fight, but if that cutter makes him, he will. My! I wish the wind would come."

But though the cutter came merrily along, hardly a puff reached the smugglers, and the cutter was now not more than a mile away.

"Look! look!" cried Mike suddenly. "There's old Joe Daygo coming."

"So it is," said Vince. "No mistaking the cut of that sail;" and he gazed excitedly at the little boat, which was coming rapidly on from the other end of the island.

"Ay, that's he sure enough," said the cook. "He's seen the cutter and come to give us warning, but we can see her ourselves now."

Still no wind, and the captain stamped up and down the deck, enraged beyond measure to see two vessels in totally opposite directions sailing merrily on, while the towering crag diverted the breeze and left him and his companion in a complete calm.

Nearer and nearer came the cutter, and the boys' hearts beat hard with excitement as they saw the flash of arms beneath the white sails, and began to feel that before long they would be on board, and that meant freedom.

Mike said something of the kind, but Vince made an allusion to the old proverb about not counting chickens until they were hatched.

"Get out!" cried Mike: "you always make the worst of things. I say, look how beautifully she comes along."

"Yes, and she'll be on one of they rocks if she don't mind," said the cook. "I say, my lads, there'll be no breakfast till all this business is over, but if you step in here I'll give you both some coffee and biscuit."

"Oh, who could eat and drink now?" said Vince. "I can't."

"I can," said the man; "and as my pokers are all hot, I mean to have a snack."

The boys' great dread was that they would be sent below, and consequently they kept out of the captain's way, and saw all that was going on, till the cutter was within a few hundred yards; and then, all at once, the wind failed her, and she lay as motionless as the two smugglers. The same fate had befallen Daygo in his boat, he being a mile away; but they saw that he had put out his oars, and was rowing.

"Going to board us," said the cook, with a sigh. "Now the fun's going to begin."

For two boats dropped from the cutter's sides, and the boys saw an officer in uniform in each, with a couple of red-coated marines, whose pieces glistened in the morning sunshine, as did the arms of the sailors.

But they saw something else as well. At a word from the captain, a dozen of the men went on hands and knees to the arm chest, each sailor in turn taking a cutla.s.s, pistols, and cartridge pouch, and crawling back under the shelter of the bulwarks to load.

Vince drew a deep sigh, and his face was flushed, while Mike looked of a sallow white.

"Then there'll be a fight?" said the latter.

"Ay, there'll be a fight," said the cook. "We're in for it now; but unless it's done with the big guns they won't take the _Marie_."