Fitz the Filibuster Part 45

"Whistle up the boat. The men would know your signal."

"Yes?"

"Load her up till the water's above the streak, and let her drop down with the stream. I noticed that it ran pretty fast. Land the men at the mouth; leave them to signal for the schooner to come within reach-- they could do that with the lantern, or a bit of fire on the sh.o.r.e, if they didn't hear the captain's pipe--and while they are doing that, four men with oars row back as hard as ever they could go, to fetch another boat-load."

"Boat-load?" said Poole. "Why, it would take about four journeys, if not more."

"Very likely," said Fitz. "But there would be hours to do it in."

"And what then?"

"Get everybody on board the schooner and make sail for the north. Get into Velova Bay, and you could take the town with ease."

"And what about the gunboat?" said Poole.

"Ah! That's the awkward point in my plan. But the gunboat is not obliged to be there, and even if she were you could take the town if you managed to get there in the dark; and once you've got the town you could hold it, even if she knocked the fort to pieces."

"Hum!" grunted the carpenter.

"It'd be a tight fit getting everybody here on board our schooner."

"Nonsense!" said Fitz. "I could get a hundred men on board easily; and besides, we should all be saved."

"And besides, we should all be saved," said Poole, half aloud. "Yes, that's true. It does seem possible, after all, for there would be no defenders hardly left at Velova, and we could fit up a defence of some kind to keep off the enemy when they found we had gone and old Villarayo came raging back; and that wouldn't be for another two days. Yes, there's something in it, if we could dodge the gunboat again."

"Humph!" grunted the carpenter once more. "No; there's a hole in your saucepan, and all the soup is tumbling out. The enemy is bound to have some fellows on the watch, and likely enough not a hundred yards from here, and they would soon find out that we were evacuating the place, come and take us at a disadvantage, and perhaps shoot the poor fellows crowded up in the boat. Oh no, my lad; it won't do at all."

"Humph!" grunted the carpenter again.

"Don't you be in such a hurry, Mr Son-of-the-skipper," said Fitz. "I'd thought of that, and I should keep the enemy from coming on."

"How?" said Poole, rather excitedly now.

"Light three or four watch-fires--quite little ones--and put up a stick or two amongst the bushes with blankets on them and the Spaniards'

sombrero hats. They'd look at a distance like men keeping the fire, and we could make these fires so that they would glow till daylight and go on smoking then; and as long as smoke was rising from these fires, I believe not one of the enemy would come near until the reinforcements arrived. And by that time, if all went well, we should be off Velova Bay."

"Humph!" grunted the carpenter again.

"It won't do, Burnett," said Poole; "it's too risky. There's nothing in it."

"Humph!" grunted the carpenter once more.

"And hark at that! You've set old Chips off snoring with your plot."

"That he aren't!" growled the carpenter. "I've heared every precious word. It's fine, Mr Poole, sir--fine! There's only one thing wanted to put it right, and that's them Sallies sitting round the fire. I wouldn't have Sallies. I'd have guys. I could knock you up half-a-dozen with crossed bamboos, each on 'em looking like tatter-doolies looking after crows with a gun. I says the plan would do."

"And so do I, carpenter," said the skipper, in his quick short tones as he stepped out from among the trees, making the three start to their feet.

"And I, my friend," cried Don Ramon excitedly catching the middy by the hand.

"Poole, my lad," continued the skipper, "get one of the other men and go cautiously down to the landing-place with every care, and if you reach it unhindered, whistle up the boat at once. Carpenter, get others to help you, and start fires as quickly as you can. _Very_ small. The others can do that, while you contrive your rough effigies.--Now, Don Ramon, you'll take the covering of our efforts with your men while mine work. Remember, it is for our lives, and our only chance."

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

FITZ SHOWS PEPPER.

"Here, Mr Burnett!" came out of the darkness, and Fitz stopped short.

"Yes, sir."

"Do you know that you are a great nuisance?"

It was invisible, but Fitz flushed and felt, after his fashion, peppery.

"I don't understand you, sir," he said hotly.

"I spoke plainly, my lad. You are always in my way, and you never were more so than at this minute."

"Then why did you take me prisoner, sir?" said the boy angrily.

"Why, in the name of thunder, did you come and tumble down my hatchway instead of stopping on the gunboat? I didn't ask you to come. Here, you are as bad as having a girl on board, or something made of wax, that mustn't be spoiled. I can't stir without thinking of having to take care of you."

"Oh," cried Fitz angrily. "This is adding insult to injury, sir."

"Well, yes, it don't sound very pleasant, does it, my boy? But you are a young nuisance, you know. I mustn't have you hurt. You see, Poole's my own, and I can do what I like with him; but you--Now then, what were you going to do?"

"I was going with Poole, sir."

"Of course!" cried the skipper angrily. "Just like a middy. I never had anything to do with one before, but I've heard times enough from those who have, that if there's a bit of mischief afloat, the first nose that goes into it is a middy's."

"I don't know what I've done, sir, that you should keep on insulting me like this."

"Insult! Bah! Is it insulting you to stop you from going into the most dangerous bit of to-night's work?"

"Poole's going, sir."

"Yes; to do his duty as my son, in this emergency. But it's not your duty, and you will be in the way. It's very risky, my lad. For aught I know there may be half-a-dozen scouts between here and the landing-place, waiting to shoot down any one who tries to open up communication with the boats."

"I know that, sir."

"And yet you want to go?"

"Yes," said the boy warmly. "You are going to send poor Poole, and I want to share his danger with him. I might help him."

"I am going to send poor Poole? Yes, my boy, because I am obliged.

That job has to be done, and I'd sooner trust him than any one here. I can't spare my men, and I can't send one of these Spanish chaps. It won't do to have it m.u.f.fed. But _poor_ Poole, eh? You seem to have grown mighty fond of him all at once."