Fitz the Filibuster Part 80

But it's just what I said. We Teals have been ornamental all through this job, and I should have liked to have had just one more go in by way of putting a neat finish."

"Oh, you've got job enough coming off," said Poole. "There's your work," and he pointed to the gunboat lying about a quarter of a mile away.

The carpenter became serious directly, frowned severely, laid his c.o.xswain's boat-hook across his knees, and took off his straw hat to give his dewy forehead a couple of wipes with his bare mahogany-brown arms.

"Yes, gentlemen," he said, "that's a big handful for one man, and I feel a bit staggered, and get thinking every now and then that it was the biggest bit of cheek I ever showed in my life."

"What was?" said Fitz.

"What was, sir? Why, to say that I would get that there vessel off them rocks. There are times when I feel skeered, and ready to tuck my tail between my legs and run away like a frightened dog."

"You!" cried Fitz, and the two lads laughed heartily.

"Ah, it's all very fine, gentlemen, you are on the right side. You aren't got it to do. I have, and if I was to try and laugh now it would be on the other side of my mouth."

"Get out," said Poole, "you'll do it right enough. Won't he, Fitz?"

"Of course."

"Think so, gentlemen?"

"To be sure we do," cried Fitz. "You'll do it, Chips. Go in and win."

"Thank you, sir," said the man, rather sadly. "I did say I'd do it, didn't I?"

"To be sure you did."

"Well then, of course I must try."

"To be sure you must," cried Fitz. "Why, you'll be able to do it in broad daylight with n.o.body to interrupt you."

"So I shall, Mr Burnett, sir. It won't be like swarming up her side in the dark, expecting a couple of dozen of them half-bred n.i.g.g.e.rs to come at you with their long knives ready to pitch you overboard. Here: I am glad you talked. I was getting all in the downs like over that job, when it aren't half so 'ard as for a young gent like you to swarm up that anker, that very _one_ yonder as is hanging from the cat-head now, and then taking out that breech-block and--"

"There, that will do," cried Fitz, turning scarlet; "I don't want to hear any more about that. I say, Chips, how do you mean to begin?"

The carpenter screwed his face up into a very cunning smile.

"Like me to tell you, sir?"

"Of course," cried the boys in a breath.

"Well," said the carpenter, "you are both very pleasant young gents as has allus been good friends to me, and I'd tell you in a minute but for one reason."

"You don't want your messmates to know your plans?" said Fitz quickly.

"Oh no, sir, it's a bigger reason than that. You see, it's just like this 'ere. I'll tell you, only don't let 'em know in the other boat.

You see there's Mr Burgess yonder, and old b.u.t.ters."

"Well, don't make such a rigmarole of it all, Chips," cried Poole.

"What's your big reason?"

"Well, sir, it's just this 'ere," said the carpenter solemnly. "I'll be blessed if I know it myself."

"Bah!" cried Poole angrily.

"What I want is clean decks, with all them there trash cleared away, and time for me and the bosun having the craft to ourselves just to go round and smell it all over before we begin."

"Of course," cried Poole.

"You see, it's a big job, gentlemen, and it's no use for us to roosh it.

What I want is for us to be able to lay this 'ere boat aboard, and leave to begin. I want room, sir, and to see what tools I want, and--"

"Ahoy there, Mr Poole!" came from the next boat. "Let your men give way and follow me. I am going to board the gunboat now, and put a prize crew on board."

"Ay, ay, sir," cried Poole; and then to the carpenter, who sat moistening his hands prior to giving them a rub on his knees, "There you are, Chips. Give way, my lads. We are going to make fast a tow-rope to the gunboat's stern. Keep your eyes open, and you will see how Chips will haul her off."

There was another laugh as the men bent to their oars, rowing so vigorously that several of the small craft full of Don Ramon's followers, hanging round the ponderous-looking craft upon the rocks, hurriedly made way as if half expecting to be run down, and a few minutes later the schooner's boats, headed by Mr Burgess, were alongside their late dangerous enemy, to spring on board, the Spanish crew drawing back to the other side to crowd together and look carelessly on, all idea of resistance being at an end.

CHAPTER FIFTY SIX.

WINKS'S LUCK.

Neither Fitz nor Poole had felt any desire to pose as the heroes of the little night attack, which had resulted in the disabling of the armoured man-of-war, but it was with a strange feeling of exultation that they climbed on board in the full sunshine, eager as they were to stand once more upon the decks, and see in the broad daylight what the vessel was like into which they had climbed in the darkness of the night.

Fitz's first thought as he pa.s.sed through the gangway was to make for the great gun that stood amidships upon its iron platform and revolving carriage, the huge muzzle elevated, and looking ready to hurl its great sh.e.l.ls far and wide; but he had to wait and stand with the schooner's men drawn up while the prisoners and volunteers who had joined the winning side filed down into the boats that swarmed around, till with one exception the crew had all left the deck, the exception being the firemen, who w.i.l.l.y nilly were retained on board for service in connection with the engine under the new President.

All this took time, but at last Don Ramon's dread had become his joy, and he showed his feeling of triumph as he paced the gunboat's deck rubbing his hands, and every now and then giving vent to a satisfied "Hah!" as he stopped to converse with Burgess, or to say a kindly word to one or other of the prize crew, not least to the two boys.

"Hah!" cried the carpenter at last. "Now then, gentlemen, I think we must say going to begin. Here's Mr Burgess as hungry as I am. You would like to come round with us, wouldn't you, Mr Poole? Mr Burgess says we can get to work as soon as ever we like."

"Of course we should," said Poole. "Come on, Fitz;" for just then Don Ramon came up to the mate to make a flowery speech, telling him that he left him in perfect confidence to hold the prize while he went to see to the disposal of the rest of the prisoners who were left, so that no attempt might be made to regain the upper hand.

Poole turned to Fitz expecting to see him eager to follow the carpenter, but it was to find him standing with one foot upon the platform of the great gun, looking at the muzzle, as it sloped toward the sky, evidently deep in thought, and he did not stir until Poole laid a hand upon his arm with the query--

"What are you thinking about?"

"That night," was the reply.

"So was I just now," said Poole. "Look there, that's where I lay with one of the Spaniards holding me down, and afraid to make a sound, or to struggle. It was horrid, and I couldn't tell what sort of a position you were in. It was ticklish work and no mistake."

"Yes," said Fitz, thoughtfully, "horrible for you, but I believe it was worse for me, because something seemed to be tagging at me all the time and telling me that I had no business there."

Poole looked at his companion curiously.

"But you felt that you must do it, didn't you?" he said.

"Oh, yes," cried Fitz, "I was desperate; but I never want to go through such a five minutes again. Let's see, I stepped along there," he continued, pointing and following the steps his memory taught him that he must have taken to get round to the back of the great gun. "Yes, this is exactly where I stood to swing round those great b.a.l.l.s and open the breech, but only to be disappointed, finding as I did that the block was fast. Oh, Poole, how I did tug and strain at it, feeling all the while that I had been boasting and bragging to your father, and that after all I was only a poor miserable impostor who had been professing to know a great deal, when I was as ignorant as could be, and that I was being deservedly punished in that terrible failure that was taking place."