Sail Ho! Part 21

Bob Hampton was the some one, for we heard him defending himself loudly.

"How could I help 'em to get out when I haven't left the wheel?"

"But there was a rope hanging down from the spanker-boom."

"I don't care if all the ropes in the ship hung down. I arn't moved.

Ask them."

"No, he hasn't left the wheel," said a voice.

"How do you know? How could you see?" cried Jarette.

"Hadn't he got the binnacle-light on his phiz all the time, captain?"

"Then who did help them? Some one fastened that line. Look, there it is."

A lantern was held out over the stern, and there was a murmur of voices.

"That line doesn't belong there, and wasn't there yesterday," cried Jarette. "There's a traitor somewhere."

"All right, cap'n, find him then," said Bob Hampton, surlily.

"If it was you!" snarled Jarette.

"Look here, don't you shove that pistol in my face," cried Bob Hampton, angrily, "or I shall out with my knife and have a fight for it. What yer talking about? If I'd left the wheel, wouldn't the ship have yawed, and you come to see what was the matter?"

That sounded so convincing that Jarette was silent, while Bob Hampton continued--

"And if I'd wanted to help 'em to get on deck, do you think I should ha'

been such a fool as to tie a bit o' signal halyard to the spanker-boom, when I could ha' made a bit o' strong rope fast to the belaying-pins, and hung it over the stern?"

Jarette growled out something we could not hear.

"Then it must have been one of them two," said Bob Hampton; "or they chucked it up from the cabin-window."

"It was not one of them," said Jarette, with a peculiar intonation in his voice. "I'm not afraid of that."

"Strikes me," growled Bob, "if yer wants to know my 'pinion, as it must have been some one who was up aloft."

I gave a jump.

"Hah!" cried Jarette, "whoever it was you lads chased. I know: it was that monkey of a boy."

Bob Hampton uttered a low chuckle.

"Like enough," he said.

"And you helped him."

"Oh, very well, then, have it your own way if you like; I helped him,-- but how I could ha' done it, I don't know, cap'n, nor them two neither.

I don't care. But look here, I'm down tired, and it's time some one else took his trick at the wheel. I want a sleep."

"If you play false to me, Bob Hampton," came in tones which made me shiver, "you'll have a sleep that will last you for always. Do you hear?--toujours!"

"Two jours, that's two days, arn't it, skipper?"

"No," hissed the man fiercely; "for ever. Here, Brown, bring an axe and a lantern. Stand it there."

We heard steps overhead, and a light gleamed down from the lantern placed upon the stern-rails.

"Now," said Jarette, "be always ready to bring that axe down upon the head of any man who tries to climb up from the cabin."

"Ay, ay," came in a low growl; and just then I became conscious of the face just over me, and it was lit from the outside; while farther back I could dimly make out other faces which were shadowy, and did not appear to be connected with bodies.

I knew directly after that it was not from the lantern placed on the stern-rail, but from the pale grey glare in the east, for I had reached my shelter none too soon. It was the beginning of another day.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

The light was coming fast now, as the sound of talking died out on the deck, and as I rose, Mr Frewen caught my hand.

"My dear lad," he whispered, "I thought you were gone. Thank G.o.d! thank G.o.d!"

"Isn't it horrible?" I whispered, though there was no necessity for restraining my voice.

"Horrible?" he said; "it seems to be impossible."

"Where's Captain Berriman?"

"In his cabin wounded."

"And Mr Brymer?"

"Yonder. Don't ask."

"Is any one else hurt?" I said, lowering my voice still more.

"I hardly know how many," he said. "It was a surprise. We were all mastered by treachery. Some traitor came amongst us, and when the attack began and the ship was seized, we were all fastened in our cabins."

"Some traitor!" I said, turning cold. "Yes, and they thought it must have been you. I heard some one accuse you in the dark, just after I had broken out of my cabin."

I was silent for a few moments, as I thought of whom the traitor must have been, though even to defend myself I could not speak out and accuse Walters.

"Who was it said I did it?" I whispered at last.

"I am not sure. Everything has been so dark and confused; I fancied for the moment that it was Mr Denning."