Hunting the Skipper Part 33

"I don't see the Yankee captain," said Mr Munday, searching the side of the vessel, which was now flying English colours.

"You think that fellow with the lugger was the captain?" asked Murray.

"Not a doubt of it," was the reply. "I wonder what he'll have the impudence to say."

"He'll sing a different song, sir," said Roberts, "if he is on board."

"If? Why, of course he'll be on board; eh, Murray?"

"Most likely, sir; but won't he be playing fox in some fresh way? He may be in hiding."

"If he is he'll come out when he finds a prize crew on board, and that his schooner is on its way to Capecoast Castle or the Cape. But I don't see him, nor any of the sharp-looking fellows who formed his lugger's crew."

"No, sir," said Murray, who was standing up shading his eyes with his hand. "I hope--"

The middy stopped short.

"Well, go on, sir," cried the lieutenant--"hope what?"

"That we are not making a mistake."

"Oh, impossible! There can't be two of such schooners."

"But we only had a glimpse of the other, sir, as she sailed down the river half hidden by the trees," said Murray.

"Look here, Mr Murray, if you can't speak sensibly you'd better hold your tongue," said the lieutenant angrily. "The captain and Mr Anderson are not likely to make a mistake. Everybody on board was of opinion that this is the same vessel."

"Then I've made a mistake, sir," said the midshipman. "But that can't be the skipper, sir," and he drew attention to a short, stoutish, sun-browned man who was looking over the side.

"Of course it is not, sir. Some English-looking fellow picked to throw us off our guard."

But the officer in charge began to look uneasy as he scanned the vessel they were rapidly nearing, till the cutter was rowed alongside, several of the crew now plainly showing themselves and looking uncommonly like ordinary merchant sailors as they leaned over the bulwarks.

Directly after the c.o.xswain hooked on, and the lieutenant, followed by two middies and four of the well-armed sailors sprang on board, to be greeted with a gruff--

"Morning. What does this here mean?"

"Why didn't you heave to, sir?" cried the lieutenant sharply.

"'Cause I was below, asleep," said the st.u.r.dy-looking skipper. "Are you the captain of that brig?"

"No, sir. What vessel's this?"

"Because," said the skipper, ignoring the question, "you'd better tell your captain to be careful. He might have done us some mischief. Any one would think you took me for a pirate."

The lieutenant made no reply for a minute or two, being, like his two young companions, eagerly scanning the rather slovenly deck and the faces of the small crew, who were looking at their invaders apparently with wonder.

"Never mind what we took you for," said the lieutenant sharply, and in a tone of voice which to Murray suggested doubt. "Answer me at once.

What schooner's this?"

"Don't be waxy, sir," said the skipper, smiling good-humouredly.

"That's reg'lar English fashion--knock a fellow over, and then say, Where are you shoving to! What's yours?"

"H.M.S. _Seafowl_," said the lieutenant haughtily. "Now then, will you answer?"

"Of course I will, Mr Lieutenant. This here is the schooner _Laura Lee_, of Bristol. Trading in sundries, machinery and oddments, loaded out at Kingston, Jamaica, and now for the West Coast to take in palm oil. Afterwards homeward bound. How does that suit you?"

Roberts and Murray exchanged glances, and then noted that the men were doing the same.

"Your papers, sir," said the lieutenant.

"Papers?" said the skipper. "All right, sir; but you might put it a little more civil."

"I am doing my duty, sir," said the lieutenant sternly.

"All right, sir, all right; but don't snap a man's head off. You shall see my papers. They're all square. Like to take anything? I've got a fine bottle or two of real Jamaica below."

"No, sir; no, sir," said the lieutenant sternly. "Business if you please."

"Of course, sir. Come along to my cabin."

"Lead on, then."

The skipper took a few steps aft, and Roberts followed his officer, a couple of the sailors closing in behind, while two others with Murray kept the deck in naval fashion, though there seemed to be not the slightest need, for the schooner's men hung about staring hard or leaned over the side looking at the men in the cutter.

"Here, I say," said the skipper sharply, "I should have thought you could have seen plain enough that what I said was quite right. What do you take me for? Oh, I see, I see; your skipper's got it in his head that I'm trading in bad spirits with the friendly n.i.g.g.e.rs on the coast yonder; but I ain't. There, I s'pose, though, you won't take my word, and you've got to report to your skipper when you go back aboard."

"If I do go back to report, sir," said the lieutenant.

"If you do go back, sir? Oh, that's it, is it? You mean if you take my schooner for a prize."

"Perhaps so, sir. Now then, if you please, your papers."

The skipper nodded and smiled.

"All right," he said; "I won't turn rusty. I s'pose it's your duty."

The papers were examined, and, to the officer's disappointment, proved the truth of the skipper's story.

"Now, if you please, we'll have a look below, sir," said the lieutenant.

"Very good," said the skipper; and he hailed his men to open the hatches. "You won't find any rum puncheons, captain," he said.

"I do not expect to, sir; but I must be sure about your fittings below.

This schooner has not been heavily rigged like this for nothing."

"Course she arn't, sir. I take it that she was rigged under my eyes on purpose to be a smart sailer worked by a smart crew. But my fittings?

Here, I've got it at last: you're one of the Navy ships on the station to put down the slave-trade."