Peter Trawl Part 17

"That's it, Peter; when once the dead man is out of the brig things will go better with us," he answered.

I did not stop to argue the point, but turned to at once with him to form the proposed raft. We had plenty of spars below, so that our undertaking was not so difficult as it would have been had we not had a good supply. We first cut them into lengths with a saw we found below, and having placed them side by side, lashed others across on the top of them.

Eager as we were to finish our task, we had more than once to stop and rest, for we were both very weak, and I felt a sensation of weariness I had not ever before experienced. In fact, we were thoroughly knocked up from the hard work we had gone through, and the little time we had had for rest.

Having completed the raft and formed some paddles, we launched it overboard and secured it alongside.

"Now, Jim," I said, "we must take some provisions, in case there are no people on the island, as we may have a longer pull back than we may like, and we have to bring up the captain and put him on the raft."

We quickly collected some provisions, and I took the empty water-jar from the pantry.

"What's that for?" asked Jim. "There's water enough on sh.o.r.e, surely."

"Yes, but if we have a long pull back to the brig we shall be thankful for water," I answered.

While thus employed we heard a voice coming from no great distance hail, "Ship ahoy!"

My heart leapt within me at the sound, and running to the side we saw a boat with five men in her pulling towards us. An oldish man of portly figure, who looked like a sea captain, was steering.

"Are ye the only people aboard?" he sang out as he saw us.

"The only live ones, sir," answered Jim.

There was no time to exchange more words before the boat was alongside, and the old gentleman and his men stepped on board. He gave a look of surprise as he saw the captain's body, and he then, turning to us, appeared more surprised still.

"Why, my laddies, what has happened? How did this craft come here?" he asked, in a kind tone.

I briefly told him how the masts had been carried away and the people washed overboard, and how the captain had been struck down and afterwards had died, and how we had kept him to bury him decently on sh.o.r.e, adding--

"He told us to steer west, sir, and so we did, but we don't know what country we've come to."

"Why, surely, to Shetland, laddies," he answered. "But if ye had kept a little farther to the north ye would have pa.s.sed our islands and run into the Atlantic, and it's weel for ye that ye didna do that. And now my men and I will take your craft up the voe and anchor her in safety.

We might carry her to Lerwick, but the weather is unsettled, and she's na weel fitted to encounter another gale, no discredit to ye, laddies."

Our new friend evidently compa.s.sionated our forlorn condition; indeed, now that the necessity for exerting ourselves was over, we both sank down utterly exhausted on the deck.

The Shetlanders would have carried us below, but we begged to remain where we were, that we might see what was going forward. They therefore left us, and having placed the captain's body on the main hatch, covered by a flag, they proceeded to pull our raft to pieces and to hoist the spars composing it on board. This done, the four men jumped into the boat, and going ahead began to tow the brig, while the old gentleman went to the helm to steer.

Before long, however, a breeze from the eastward springing up, the boat returned alongside, the men hoisted the canvas, and we stood in towards the voe, as the gulf, we found, was called. I could just distinguish the high green hills, with here and there grey cliffs and rocks jutting out from these on either side, as we sailed up the voe, but my eyes grew dimmer and dimmer till the brig's anchor was dropped, and I was just aware that we were being placed in the boat to be carried on sh.o.r.e.

When I came to myself I found that I was in a comfortable bed with curtains round it, the sun shining brightly through the open window of the room, which looked neater and prettier than any I had ever slept in.

Hearing a footstep, I peered through the curtains, and saw a lady and a little girl come in, carrying in their hands some things which they placed on the table.

"I think the poor boy is awake, auntie," whispered the little girl. "I heard him move."

"Perhaps he was only moving in his sleep, but I will see," answered the lady, and she approached the bed.

I was looking all the time at the little girl, who seemed to me like an angel or a fairy, or some being altogether brighter than I had ever seen before--even than my sister Mary.

"Yes, marm, I am awake, thank you," I said, as she opened the curtains, "and please, I want to get up and go aboard the brig to look after her and to see that our old captain is buried."

"He was buried by the minister the day you came, and the brig is taken very good care of," she answered. "My father, Mr Angus Troil, has written to the owners to inform them of what has happened to her and of your brave conduct. He hopes soon to hear from them."

"Thank you, marm," I again said, puzzled to know what the lady meant about hearing soon from Mr Gray, for I had supposed that Shetland was a long way from England. My first thought, however, had been about Jim.

"Please, marm, where is the other boy, my shipmate?" I asked.

"He was very ill only for three or four days, and is now well enough to go down to the brig with my father," she replied. "But I must not let you talk too much. You were to have some food, the doctor said, when you came to yourself. Here, Maggie, bring the broth and toast."

Thereon the little girl brought the tray to the bedside and gazed compa.s.sionately at me, while the lady put the food into my mouth, for I was too weak to do so myself.

It now dawned on me from what the lady said that I must have been in a state of unconsciousness for many days, and such I found was the case.

I recollected nothing that had pa.s.sed since I was placed in the boat. I could not speak much, but when I had finished the basin of broth I said--

"I am very thankful to you and your little daughter, marm, for all you have done for me."

"You deserve to be taken care of, my boy," she answered; "but this little girl is not my daughter. Her father was my brother. He was lost at sea while captain of a ship, and her mother has since died, so that she is very precious to us."

I looked at little Maggie with even more interest than before, and I said--

"My father was also drowned, and so was my grandfather, and I believe his father before him, for I come of a seafaring family."

"That has been likewise the fate of many of the Troils," said the lady; "but I must not let you talk more now. Before long my father and your young shipmate will be returning, and they will be glad to hear from your own lips how you feel. In the meantime try to go to sleep again.

The doctor says that the more you sleep the sooner you will regain your strength. Saying this, the lady, followed by the little girl, left the room."

I thought over what she had said to me, and kept repeating to myself, "Margaret Troil! Margaret Troil! I know that name, I am sure!" but I did not think long before I forgot where I was and what had happened.

I saw Maggie's sweet face peeping in at me when I woke, but as soon as she saw that my eyes were open she ran off, and shortly afterwards Mr Troil and Jim came into the room. The old gentleman spoke very kindly; told me that I must consider myself at home, and that though he hoped I should soon get well, I must be in no hurry to go away. He then went out, saying to Jim, "I can let you stay only five minutes with your friend. When the time is up I must call you."

Jim could at first scarcely speak for joy at seeing me so much better.

He then told me how highly Mr Troil spoke of me and him for the way we had kept the brig afloat, and brought her to the coast of Shetland.

"I told him as how it wasn't us who did it," continued Jim, "but that G.o.d sent the wind as blew us here; and he says to me, 'To be sure, that was the case in one way, but then that G.o.d rewarded your efforts, and thus you deserve great credit for what you did.' He promises to see that we are rewarded, and to do all he can for us himself. I told him as how you were really captain, and that I couldn't have done anything by myself, except pump, and that I had done with a will, seeing I am bigger and stronger than you."

I was inclined to smile at Jim's modesty, though I felt very grateful to him for speaking so well of me, and was about to ask him what Mr Troil said in return, when our host called him out of the room. I was thus left to myself, except when the lady, who Jim had told me was Miss Troil, the old gentleman's daughter, or little Maggie looked in to see if I wanted anything. Two days after this I was able to dress and sit out in front of the house, enjoying the sun and air, looking down on the voe in which lay our brig, with a small sloop and several fishing vessels and boats. On that side, looking to the south, there was a view of the voe and the opposite bank, but on all the others the house, a square stone building, was protected by a high wall close to it, built to keep off the biting cold winds and snow of winter. Jim was out with Mr Troil, and as Miss Troil was engaged, Maggie came and sat by me with a book, and read and talked to me for a long time, getting me to tell her all about myself and our perilous voyage, till her aunt summoned her to attend to some household affairs. When I returned to my room I found that my chest had been brought on sh.o.r.e and placed there. Miss Troil came in and took out the things, which, having become damp and mildewy, she wished to dry. While doing so she came upon my old Testament, which, chancing to open, she examined the inside of the cover with intense curiosity.

"Why, Peter, how did you come by this?" she asked.

The family had got by this time to call me Peter.

I told her that it had belonged to my father's mother, and then for the first time since I came to Shetland I recollected that the name in it was spelt in the same way as that of my host.

"I must ask my father about this!" she exclaimed. "He had an uncle called Angus, after whom he was named, and who married a Margaret Halcro. There are none of the family remaining in Shetland, though at one time they were numerous. Peter, I should not be surprised if it turns out that you are a kinsman of ours. Should you like to be so?"

"Indeed I should!" I answered; "I feel as if I were one already, from the kind way you have treated me, even before you thought I might be a relative."

When Mr Trail came in he listened attentively to what his daughter told him, and, having examined the handwriting in the Testament, asked me the ages of my father and grandmother, and all other particulars I could tell him.