Sail Ho! Part 80

"Pig--cochon!" yelled Jarette, and there was a flash of light and a sharp report as he fired a pistol to hit the sailor, or perhaps only to frighten us, for no harm was done.

"Silence, man, don't exasperate him," whispered a voice from close by where I sat, and I knew that if I raised my hand I could have touched Mr Frewen.

"All right, sir," growled Bob, and Jarette spoke now.

"Below there," he cried. "I'm behaving better to you than you all deserve. Some men would have pitched you all overboard to drown. Now then, listen you, Captain Berriman; you can row west and get into the line the packets take, or you can row east and make the coast somewhere, if you don't get caught in a storm and go to the bottom. But that's none of my doing, I can't help that. Now then, push off before I alter my mind and have a bag of ballast pitched through the bottom of the boat. Off with you. Fasten up that gangway, my lads."

"No, no, stop," cried Mr Frewen, excitedly. "We are not all here," and I glanced round, but it was too dark to make anything out below where the light of the lanterns was cast outward in quite a straight line, well defined against the blackness below, which looked solid.

"Not all there, doctor? Oh, I forgot," said Jarette. "Wait a minute."

He turned away from the side, and we heard him give some order, which was followed a minute later by a sharp shrill cry, which went through me, and then there was a series of frantic shrieks, which seemed to pierce the dark night air. We could hear a scuffling too, and appeal after appeal approaching the side from somewhere aft.

"Silence!" snapped out Jarette, and a sharp smack was followed by a low moan.

Then in loud hysterical tones, as if a hoa.r.s.e frantic woman were appealing, I heard as I sat shuddering there--

"No, no, don't, Captain Jarette. I'll work with you, and stick to you, and help you always. Don't do that."

"You--you cowardly, sneaking traitor! Who'd trust you an inch out of his sight? Over with him, lads. No, no, not there. Over with him here."

"Help! Mercy, pray! help! help!" came with frantic shrieks, for the poor fellow evidently did not know of the boat over the side. He felt that he was going to his death, and then he was evidently clinging to something, for there was a pause, and in a hoa.r.s.e yell we heard him cry--

"Don't kill me, Jarette, and I'll tell you where the money-chests are stowed."

"You? Why, I know. Over with him!" cried Jarette, and then, uttering shrieks that horrified us, we saw Walters for a moment above the bulwarks in the full light of the lanterns, and then he was pitched outwards, shrieking as he fell, a loud splash and a gurgling noise, which ceased suddenly, telling us where he had gone down.

The boat was pushed along in the darkness, and without an order being given.

"See him?" said Mr Brymer, in a hurried whisper.

"No, sir, not yet," growled Bob Hampton.

Almost at that moment there was a wild shriek for help just by the boat's side, and Dumlow growled out--

"I got him."

Then came a splashing and a repet.i.tion of the cry for help, but this time from the bottom of the boat.

"What has he done wrong?" said Bob Hampton. "Want us to chuck you in again?"

"Oh, help!" cried Walters piteously.

"What, have you took him aboard?" said a sneering voice overhead.

"Better let him drown. He isn't worth the biscuit and water he'll want."

"Oh, only wait!" cried Walters, rising up to his knees.

"Wait," snarled Jarette. "Yes, you cur, I will with one of the shot-guns if you ever come near my ship again. And you, Berriman, and you, Brymer, take my warning; I've given you your chance, so take it.

If you hang about near here I'll have the signal-gun loaded and sink you, so be out of sight by daylight. Now push off before you get something thrown over to go through the bottom of the boat."

There was a low whispering close by me, and then I could just make out the doctor's figure as he stood up.

"Stop," he shouted. "Mr Jarette, we are not all here."

"What? Why, who is left behind?"

"Mr Denning."

"The sick pa.s.senger?"

"And his sister, sir."

"Oh yes, I know, board."

"No, sir, they must come with us. I warn you that Mr Denning's health is such that he must have medical attendance."

"Oh, I see," cried Jarette, with a sneering laugh. "You are afraid of missing your job. There, cure the captain. One patient is enough in an open boat."

"If anything happens to him, sir, you will have to answer for his life."

"You are stupid," sneered Jarette. "You wish to trap me. It would kill the patient to keep him with you, exposed in an open boat. No, Monsieur le docteur, I am too wise--too much of the fox, le renard--to be trapped like that. Push off."

"No, no, sir," cried Mr Frewen; "for mercy's sake, sir, let Mr Denning and his sister be lowered down to us."

"But they do not wish to come, monsieur."

"I will not argue with you, sir, or contradict. You hold the power. I only say, for mercy's sake let that poor suffering invalid and his sister come. We will then push off and leave you to your prize."

Jarette was resting his arms on the bulwark, gazing down at us, no doubt maliciously, but the lights were behind him and at his side, so that his features were in the dark, and as I looked up I could not help thinking how easily any one might have shot him dead and thrown him overboard.

But I shuddered at this horrible idea as it flashed through my head, and waited for him to speak.

Mr Frewen waited too, but he remained silent, only making a slight movement as if to pa.s.s one arm over the bulwarks, though from where I sat I could not quite make out his act.

"You heard me, Jarette?" said Mr Frewen, after this painful pause.

"You will let your people help Mr Denning and his sister down?"

Still the man did not answer, but appeared to be staring hard at the doctor.

"Mr Jarette."

"Captain Jarette, doctor. There, you see what a merciful man I am. You do not know that I have been taking aim at you right between the eyes for the last five minutes, and could at any moment have sent a bullet through your head."

"Yes, sir," said the doctor, calmly; "yes, Captain Jarette, I knew that you were aiming at me."

"Then why did you not flinch and ask for mercy!"

"Because I am accustomed to look death in the face, sir, when I am doing my duty, I am doing it now. Mr Denning's life is in danger. Come, sir, you will let him and his sister join us?"