From Powder Monkey to Admiral Part 46

"Heave to!" cried the commander; "and if you attempt to escape I'll sink you, remember that! Tell them in French what I mean," he added, turning to Rayner.

"Oui, oui; je comprende," answered one of the few white men on board-- probably the master--and, the schooner's helm being put down, she came up head to wind, with her foretopsail to the mast.

The corvette, which had by this time shot a little way ahead, also hove-to, and the commander directed Rayner, with a boat's crew, to go on board the prize and take possession.

The master stood, hat in hand, at the gangway, ready to receive him.

He was bound, he said, for Martinique, in ballast, to obtain a cargo and other stores for Leogane, the princ.i.p.al settlement of the French in the island. The crew consisted of a Creole mate, two mulattos, and four blacks, one of the former calling himself the boatswain.

"Then you'll do me the favour of accompanying the master and mate on board the ship," said Rayner pointing to the boat.

The master seemed very unwilling to obey, but the crew soon tumbled him, with the mate and boatswain, into the boat, which returned to the corvette, while Rayner remained with two hands on board.

He now ordered the crew to haul round the fore yard, and, keeping the helm up, soon ran within speaking distance of the _Lily_.

"I intend to send you in to land the people picked up on the raft, with a flag of truce, and as soon as you put them on sh.o.r.e, come back and join me," said the commander.

"Ay, ay, sir," answered Rayner, very well pleased to have a separate command, although it might only last a few hours. He was still more pleased, however, when the boat came back, bringing Oliver Crofton, the four Frenchmen, and Jack and Tom, to form part of his crew. The blacks and the mulatto were kept on board to a.s.sist in working the schooner.

The mulatto said he was the steward, and one of the blacks, with a low bow, introduced himself as the cook.

"Me talkee English, ma.s.sa, well as French, and me cookee anyting dat buckra officer like to order," he said, with a grimace which made the midshipman laugh.

"By-the-bye, before we part company with the corvette, we may as well ascertain what Sambo here has got to cook," said Oliver.

It was fortunate that he had this forethought, for, except a supply of salt-fish, some yams and bananas, and a small cask of flour, with a half-empty case of claret, no other provisions were discovered for officers or men. Oliver accordingly returned, and obtained some beef and biscuit, and a few articles from the mess.

"And just bring five or six dollars with you, in case we want to purchase any fish or vegetables," said Rayner, as he was shoving off.

No time was lost in procuring what was necessary, when Oliver returned to the _Mouche_, for such was the name of the prize. The corvette making sail, she and the schooner ran on in company until they came off the French part of the coast. The commander then ordered Rayner to stand in, directing him, should any people be seen on sh.o.r.e, to hoist a white flag, and land the four Frenchmen.

Scarcely, however, had they parted company for a couple of hours, when a dead calm came on, and Rayner and Oliver believed that there was no chance of being able to land the Frenchmen that night.

"I am very sorry for it," remarked Oliver; "for from the experience I have had of them, I think it more than possible, if they can get the a.s.sistance of the black crew, they will try and play us some scurvy trick. I have not hitherto pointed out the fellow who tried to take my life, and who was so nearly dying himself; but I suspect his disposition has not altered for the better. You'll fancy me somewhat suspicious, but I cannot help thinking that should he win over the blacks, they will try and take the schooner from us."

"They'll find that rather a tough job with you and me and our four men to oppose them," answered Rayner. "However, after your warning, I'll keep an eye on the gentlemen, and I'll tell Jack Peek to let me know if he sees anything suspicious in their behaviour. He understands French almost as well as I do, and he'll soon find out what they are about."

"I do not like to think ill of other people, even though they are foreigners; but I cannot forget what a villain one of those men is,"

remarked Oliver.

"Forewarned, forearmed," said Rayner. "We need not, after all, be anxious about the matter; but it will be wise to keep our pistols in our belts and our swords by our sides, and not to let the Frenchmen and the black crew mix together more than is necessary." The steward now came aft, hat in hand, and speaking in a jargon of French and Spanish, interlarded with a few words of English, of which he was evidently proud, requested to know what the officers would like for supper.

"We shall not find fault, provided that the cook supplies us with the best he can," answered Rayner. "One of our men there,"--pointing to Jack Peek--"will give him the materials, unless he happens to have some ducks or fowls, or a fine fish, for which we will pay him."

The steward shrugged his shoulders, regretting that the only fish he had on board were salted; but, notwithstanding, the cook would exercise his skill upon them, and would produce a dish which even an epicure would not disdain.

While waiting for the evening meal, the young officers walked the deck, whistling for a breeze, but there seemed no chance of its coming. The land lay blue, but still indistinct, away to the northward, its outline varied by hills of picturesque form, which rose here and there along the coast.

Rayner called up Jack Peek, and told him to keep a watch not only on the black crew, but on the Frenchmen. "Notwithstanding the kind way they have been treated, they may think it a fine opportunity for obtaining a vessel in which they can carry on their former calling," he observed.

"They'll be audaciously ungrateful wretches if they do, sir," answered Jack. "To my mind they'll deserve to be hove overboard to feed one of those sharks out there;" and he pointed to a black fin which was gliding just above the surface.

"I hope that they will not prove treacherous, and it is our business to take care that they have no opportunity of being so," said Rayner. "Do you and Tom keep an eye upon them, that's all."

"Ay, ay, sir," answered Jack.

The English seamen kept together. Though there were but four of them, they were st.u.r.dy fellows, well armed, and it was not likely that either the blacks or Frenchmen would venture to attack them.

At length the mulatto steward announced supper ready, and Rayner and Oliver descended to partake of it, leaving Tom in charge of the deck.

"Call me if you see the slightest sign of a breeze," said the former, as he went below.

The cabin was not very large nor yet very clean; indeed, c.o.c.kroaches and centipedes were crawling about in all directions, and every now and then dropped down on the white cloth from the beams above. The table, however, was covered with several dishes, which, from the fragrant odour ascending from them, promised to satisfy the hunger of a couple of midshipmen. It was difficult to make out the materials of which the dishes were composed, but on examination it was found that they consisted chiefly of salt beef and fish dressed in a variety of fashions, frica.s.seed, stewed, and grilled, and mixed with an abundance of vegetables, with some delicious fruit, such as the West Indies can alone produce.

"Me tinkee better keep on de cobers, ma.s.sa," observed the steward, "or de c.o.c.kroaches fall in an' drown demselves."

"By all means," said Rayner, laughing. Indeed, he and Oliver had to examine each mouthful before they raised it to their lips, lest they should find one of the nauseous creatures between their teeth.

As soon as the midshipmen had finished supper, they returned on deck.

The sun had sunk beneath the ocean in a refulgence of glory, its parting rays throwing a ruddy glow over the surface, unbroken by a single ripple.

"We must make up our minds to spend the night where we are," observed Rayner. "It will be as well for you and me to take watch and watch, and not to trust to any of the men, for although I have every confidence in Peek, I cannot say the same for the rest."

Oliver, of course, agreed to this, and took the first watch. At midnight he aroused Rayner, who had stretched himself on one of the lockers, not feeling inclined to turn into either of the doubtful-looking bunks at the side of the vessel.

"I suspect that we are going to have a change of weather," said Oliver, as he came on deck. "The air feels unusually oppressive for this time of night. There is a mist rising to the southward, though the stars overhead shine as bright as usual."

"I don't know what to think of it, having had but little experience in these seas," answered Rayner; "I must ask the oldest of the Frenchmen, but I don't see any of them on deck."

"No, they and the blacks have all turned in," said Oliver. "They did not ask my leave, but I thought it useless to rouse them up again, as there seemed no chance of their being wanted."

"Well, go and lie down and take a caulk, if the centipedes and c.o.c.kroaches will let you," laughed Rayner. "They have been crawling all over me during the time I have been below, but I knew there was no use attempting to keep them off, so I let them crawl, without interfering with their pleasure. If I see any further change in the appearance of the sky, I will rouse you up, and we'll make the black fellows turn out to be ready to shorten sail."

Rayner for some time walked the deck of the little vessel alone. Jack was at the helm, and one of the men forward. The watch was very nearly out, and he determined not to call up Oliver until daylight. On looking to the southward he saw that the mist which had before remained only a few feet above the horizon was rapidly covering the sky, while beneath it he distinguished a long line of white foam.

"Turn out, Oliver!" he shouted through the cabin skylight; "I'll take the helm. Peek, run forward and rouse up the blacks and Frenchmen to shorten sail. Not a moment to be lost!"

Jack as he went forward shouted down the main hatchway, where Tom and the other men were sleeping, and then in a stentorian voice called, in French, to shorten sail.

The Englishmen were on deck in a moment, but the blacks came up stretching their arms and yawning.

"Lower away with the throat and peak halyards!" shouted Rayner.

Oliver and the two English sailors hastened to obey the order.

"Brail up the foresail. Be smart, lads! Aloft with you and furl the foretopsail, or it will be blown out of the bolt-ropes!"

The mainsail was quickly got down. The black crew were pulling and hauling at the brails of the headsails, when a fierce blast struck the vessel. She heeled over to it.