Sail Ho! Part 102

"Then there is no more danger?" said Mr Denning.

"No, I think not--at present."

"Why do you say at present?" cried Miss Denning, eagerly; and she caught my arm.

"Don't say anything to frighten her, Dale," said Mr Denning; "she is half-hysterical now."

"Indeed no, John dear; I am quite calm. Tell us, Alison. It is better to know the worst."

"I only meant," I said hastily, "that there is sure to be some fire left smouldering below, where the water will not reach it, and it may break out again two or three times--just a little, that's all. But we shall watch it better now. No, no," I cried, "I don't mean that; because no one could have watched better than you did."

"Starboard watch, ahoy!" cried Mr Brymer, cheerily. "How are you, Miss Denning?" but before she could reply the mate was up with us.

"Thank you for keeping watch so well. Any idea what time it is?--we hadn't been asleep long, I suppose."

Mr Denning uttered a little laugh.

"It must be close upon morning," he said.

"Morning? Impossible! What do you say, Miss Denning?"

"I think it must be very near day," she replied. "It is many hours since you left us."

"And gone like that!" cried the mate in astonishment. "Ahoy there, Mr Frewen, Preddle," he shouted, "what time should you think it is?"

"My watch is not going," replied Mr Frewen; "but I should say it is about midnight."

"Oh no," cried Mr Preddle, in his highly-pitched voice; "about eleven at the outside. Do you think we may venture to lie down again?"

"Almost a pity, isn't it," said the mate, merrily. "Look yonder-- there--right astern."

"Yes?" said Mr Frewen. "What is that? The moon about to rise?"

"Say sun, and you will be right," cried Mr Brymer. "Go and lie down if you like, gentlemen; but look yonder too; there is a fleck of orange high up. For my part, I propose a good breakfast."

"No, no, you cannot be right," said Mr Frewen, from the main-deck; "but we'll take our watch now. Mr Denning, will you and your sister go and take yours below?"

"No, not yet," said Mr Denning.

"Then I must speak as the medical man, and give my patient orders. You ought both to have some sleep now."

"Wonderful!" cried Mr Preddle, excitedly. For, with the wondrous rapidity of change from night to day so familiar in the tropics, the morning broke without any of the gradations of dawn and twilight. There was a brilliant glow of red, which, as we gazed at it, became gold; and then, dazzling in its brightness, the edge of the sun appeared above the gleaming water, still and smooth as ever; then higher and higher, sending its rays across the vast level, and turning all to gold. It was between us and the sun now one broad patch of light, but not quite all golden glory, for as I looked right away from the p.o.o.p-deck, with that indescribable feeling of joy in my breast which comes when the darkness of night and its horrors give place to the life and light of day, I felt a strange contraction about my heart--a curious shrinking sensation of dread.

For, far away on that gleaming path of gold, I could plainly see a couple of black specks. Half-stifled with emotion, I caught at Mr Brymer's arm, and pointed as I looked in his face, and tried to speak, but no words would come.

I must have pointed widely, for he turned quickly, looked in the direction indicated by my finger, and then clapped me on the shoulder.

"Why, Dale, my lad, what's the matter?" he said. "Did you see a whale?"

At that moment Barney shouted from where he stood forward, unseen for the mist of dimly illuminated steam which lay between us, though his voice was plainly heard, and sent a thrill through all who heard--

"Boat-ho! Two on 'em astarn."

"Ay, ay!" roared Bob Hampton in a voice of thunder, "lying doo east.

It's Frenchy and his gang come back."

For a few seconds there was a dead silence, and no one stirred. Then, as if electrified, I ran half-way down the ladder, and leaped the rest of the way, dashed through the saloon to Mr Brymer's cabin, seized his gla.s.s, and ran back with it and up on to the p.o.o.p-deck.

He gave me a quick look which seemed to say, "Good!"--s.n.a.t.c.hed the gla.s.s, brought it to bear upon the two black specks, and then stood motionless, while all present waited breathless for the lowering of the gla.s.s again, and the mate's first words.

For we hoped against hope. The boats might be two sent from some invisible ship to our aid.

All such thoughts were swept away as the mate lowered his gla.s.s and nearly threw it to me.

"He's right," he said calmly. "They are our boats and men. They must have been somewhere near, and seen the light rising up from the ship, and come back to see what it means."

"Then all is lost!" said Mr Denning, wildly, as he seized his sister's hand.

"Oh, no," replied Mr Brymer, coolly, "by no means. Miss Denning, kindly see what you can do in the way of breakfast for us. Those men cannot be here under an hour, and we shall all be faint. Cheer up.

They're not on board yet."

The next minute he was on the main-deck, giving his orders.

"They can't board us," he said, "but they can cut that boat adrift, and carry her off with all those provisions on board. Now, Mr Frewen, you will help us. Mr Preddle, be ready to come and haul when you are asked, but in the meantime I leave the arms to you. See that they are all loaded and laid ready on the saloon-table, and with the ammunition to hand."

"Yes, I'll do that," he said eagerly; and he was moving off.

"Stop," cried Mr Brymer. "There is a small keg of powder in the cable-tier, get that in the saloon too; and in the locker in my cabin you'll find some big cartridges and shot. Everything is there. Do you think you can load and prime the cannon?"

He pointed as he spoke to the small bra.s.s gun, used for signalling when going into port. "I never loaded a big one," said Mr Preddle, "but I used to have a bra.s.s one when I was a boy, and I've loaded and fired that."

"It is precisely the same, sir. Have it ready, and a poker in the galley red-hot. Bah! we have no fire."

"Wrong, sir. Stove's going, and the kettle nearly on the bile," growled Dumlow, who had limped up.

"Bravo!" cried the mate. "They have not taken us yet. Off with you, Mr Preddle. Now, Hampton, we must either get that boat on board, or save all we can, and then she must be stove in."

"Which would be a pity, sir," said Bob Hampton. "She's heavy, and we're few, but I think if you'll help get out all you can from her, water-breakers and sech, I can slew round the yard, and rig up tackle as 'll do the job."

"Right! Up with you! Now, Blane, and you, Dale, have the boat round here to the gangway, and down into her. Mr Frewen, you and I will lower tackle, and have all up we can to lighten her."

The men cheered, and, as excited as they were, I added my shout, and the next minute we were all at work as ordered by the mate. The boat was soon brought round, made fast, and by the time Barney and I were in, the port-gangway was opened, and tackle lowered, to which we made fast one of the breakers of water, and saw it hauled up. The other followed, and then cases, biscuit-bags, everything heavy was roped together and hauled up on them, till nothing remained but small things that it would have taken too long to collect.

"Now then," shouted Mr Brymer, "look out!" and there was a creaking and clanging sound as the iron wheel of the tackle used for loading and unloading the cargo spun round, and the falls for running up boats to the davits descended, and were hooked on bow and stern.

"Now then, up with you!" cried the mate; and we seized the rope lowered, and climbed on board.

"Are they close here, sir?" I panted.