Sail Ho! Part 34

"Oh no, my good friend; in my little kingdom I am going to found. What do you say to a lovely spice island, all sunshine and flowers, where I can start a new civilisation? I offer you a fine position there as the only doctor. What do you say?"

"No, of course," replied Mr Frewen, contemptuously.

"Ah, you'll think better of it. I've started the idea too suddenly for you now you're sore; but you'll come round, and the sooner you do the more comfortable you'll be. It must come to that. You'll have no other chance."

"We shall see," said Mr Frewen, coldly.

Jarette looked at him sharply, and then all about the narrow cabin before fixing his eyes again upon my fellow-prisoner.

"Look here," he said, in a sharp, fierce way. "You're thinking of escaping--listen to this, boy," he added, turning sharply to me, "it will do for you too. Now don't think any more about such a _betise_, doctor," he continued, "for it is of no use. There is no escape for you. If you tried to break out I have men on the watch whose orders are to shoot down any one who tries to get away, and that shooting down means pitching overboard afterwards. It would save me a great deal of trouble, but I don't want any more fighting and killing: I want peace.

There, you can think it over. You had better be friends, for it would hurt my feelings to have to set you afloat in an open boat with those brute bullies, Berriman and Brymer. Think it over, man. Your friend, Mr Preddle, is sure to join me, for I can find him a pond or a river in which to keep his fish."

He backed out of the cabin, and the door was closed, while as we listened we heard the party move on to Mr Preddle's cabin.

I could not resist the temptation of listening, and as I was standing close by the part.i.tion, I took a step nearer to the opening I had made, and softly drew aside the bottle I had placed before it.

Mr Frewen's lips moved, and I took it that he said "Be careful," so I nodded to him as much as to say "I will," and listened.

I could not see through, for Mr Preddle had done as I had--drawn something before his side of the opening, which was so small and in such a dark part of the cabin, that unless searched for it was not likely to be seen.

"Well, sir," cried Jarette, "when are you coming on deck again?"

"Coming on deck?" said Mr Preddle, wonderingly.

"Yes; those fish of yours want seeing to; I had to lift out half-a-dozen this morning with that string ladle of yours."

"The little net?" cried Mr Preddle, eagerly. "That was very good of you. How do they all seem?"

"As if they wanted their master to come and feed them. They all swam up to the top and put their mouths out of the water; didn't they, Hampton?"

"Ay, ay, that's so," growled Bob, "and they all called out, 'Wittles, wittles,' in fish, on'y they've got such little voices through being so much in the damp that you couldn't hear 'em."

The men laughed, and Mr Preddle joined in, but in a feeble forced way as he said weakly--

"No, no, that was for fresh air. They'll all be dead soon, I'm afraid."

"Then why don't you come and attend to 'em?" said Jarette.

"May I, Mr Jarette?" cried Mr Preddle, excitedly.

"To be sure you may, sir. You've only got to satisfy me that you've thrown over these people here, whom I have been obliged to shut up for violence. Cast in your lot with us, and there you are, quite free; and I'll--come, I'll make you naturalist to my expedition, and one of the chief men of my island."

"Naturalist to your expedition?" faltered Mr Preddle, wondering at the language used by a man whom he had heretofore looked upon as a common sailor, perfectly uneducated, and ready for any amount of violence and rapine,--"chief man in your island!"

"To be sure."

"But have you got an island?"

"Waiting for me to go and take it, sir; and there you can study nature at home,--just the place for gentlemen like you."

"Ah, yes, that it is," said Mr Preddle.

"You'll join us then?"

"The weak limp wretch," I heard Mr Frewen whisper.

"No, sir, you said that I was a gentleman. I am, and gentlemen cannot do such things as that."

"Not take up a delightful life yonder?"

"No; the cost is too great. I should have to be false to my cla.s.s, and to my companions in misfortune here."

"Bah!--they are not so squeamish. They come, all of them, and are glad.

You will join us?"

"No, sir, no."

"But your fish--dying!"

"Poor things! It is a disappointment, sir; but I cannot do as you wish me to, even to save them."

"You will not?"

"No, sir, no."

"Idiot!" cried Jarette, sharply, and directly after the door was banged and fastened.

"My fish--my fish--my poor little fish!" muttered Mr Preddle; "but I couldn't, even to save them."

Then there was silence, and I softly recovered the little hole and looked round at Mr Frewen, who nodded and smiled.

"Yes," he whispered, "it is quite true: he is a gentleman, poor fellow, in spite of all."

Then we listened again, and heard door after door opened, as Jarette went round to see his prisoners; and princ.i.p.ally, I fancy, to make sure, as he used his eyes sharply, that no one was likely to escape.

Door after door was opened, and then we heard fierce angry voices, one of which I was sure was Captain Berriman's. We could not hear what was said, but his voice sounded threatening, and Mr Frewen whispered--

"Thank heaven! I was afraid the poor captain had been murdered."

Hardly had the words pa.s.sed his lips before we heard a sharp report, a piercing shriek, and a heavy fall.

Then for a few moments there was silence, but a quick muttering of voices followed, and then a door was banged.

A few moments later as I stood there panting, and with the perspiration standing out upon my forehead, another door seemed to have been opened, and I heard a quick angry voice speaking loudly and upbraidingly.

"Mr Denning!" I said excitedly, as I turned to my companion, whose face looked terrible in its rage and despair.

"Whose voice was that, Dale?" he cried wildly.