Sail Ho! Part 81

"In an open boat? No."

"Mr Jarette."

"Captain Jarette, doctor," cried the man, angrily. "Now all of you row and take this mad fellow away, before I am tempted to shoot him."

Bob Hampton uttered a low growling sound as he sought in the darkness for the boat-hook, stood up, and began to thrust the boat from the ship's side.

"No; stop," cried Mr Frewen, fiercely, "we cannot desert the Dennings like this. Ahoy!--on board there! Mr Denning, where are you?"

"Here," came from one of the cabin-windows aft.

"Row beneath that window," cried the doctor, and the boat was not rowed but dragged slowly there by Bob Hampton, who kept hooking on by the main and mizzen-chains.

"Keep off!" roared Jarette fiercely. "Do you hear? Keep off, or I fire."

But Bob Hampton paid no heed to his orders till the boat was beneath one of the round cabin-windows, and then he thrust the boat about six feet from the ship.

He had a reason for so doing, and he had hardly steadied the boat when, in obedience to an order from Jarette, something tremendously heavy was thrown over the side, and fell with a loud splash between us and the ship, deluging us with the shower it raised, and making the boat rock.

But Mr Frewen paid no heed to that which would have driven a hole through the bottom of the boat, perhaps killed one of its occupants at the same moment.

"Are you there, Denning?" he said, in a quick whisper.

"Yes."

"Quick, run with your sister to the stern-windows and jump out. For heaven's sake don't hesitate. We can pick you up."

"Ay, ay," growled Bob Hampton.

"Impossible! We are both fastened in," said Mr Denning.

"Can you pa.s.s through that window?"

"No. Save yourselves; you cannot help us now."

"Over with it, my lads. Well out."

We could not see what was heaved over the side, but something else, probably a piece of pig-iron, was thrown over, and fell with a heavier splash, making the phosph.o.r.escent water flash and sparkle, so that I could see the light dancing in the darkness for far enough down.

Jarette's savage design was again frustrated, and in spite of our terrible danger no one among us stirred or said a word about the risk.

"Do you hear?" cried Mr Denning, from the cabin-light. "Save yourself; the wretch will sink the boat."

"I cannot go and leave you and your sister in this man's power."

"It is madness to stay. You have done all that is possible. Captain Berriman, order your men to row you out of danger."

"I am not in command," said the captain feebly.

"Mr Brymer, then," cried Mr Denning. "Quick, they are dragging up something else to throw over."

"I should not be a man, sir, if I ordered the men in cold blood to leave you and your sister," said Mr Brymer huskily.

"But you are risking other lives. Mr Frewen," cried the young man, "I wish it; my sister wishes it. You must--you shall go."

Mr Frewen uttered a strange kind of laugh.

"If I told the men to row away, sir, I do not believe they would go," he replied. "Answer for yourselves, my lads; would you go?"

"'Bout two foot farder," growled Bob, "so as they couldn't hit us; that's 'bout all."

"But you can do no good," said Mr Denning. "Lena, my child, they have been very brave, and done everything they could; tell them to go now; it is to save their lives."

"Don't--don't, Miss Denning," I shouted, for I could bear it no longer.

"There isn't anybody here but Nic Walters who would be such a cur."

I said the words pa.s.sionately, feeling a kind of exaltation come over me, and everything was in the most unstudied way, or I should not have said it at all.

The words were not without their effect, for they stung Walters to the quick. The moment before he had been lying shivering in the bottom of the boat, but as I spoke he sprang up and cried in a high-pitched, hysterical voice that might have been Mr Preddle's--

"It isn't true, Miss Denning. I've been a treacherous coward and a beast, but I'd sooner die now than leave you to come to harm."

"A pity you didn't, my lad, before you betrayed us as you did," said Mr Brymer, in a deep-toned voice.

"Ah, yes. Words are no use now," said the captain slowly.

"No! No use now--no use now," cried Walters wildly. "It is too late, too late," and before any one could grasp what he was about to do, he leaped over the side into the black water.

But not to drown, for the scintillations of the tiny creatures disturbed by his plunge showed exactly where he was, and Bob Hampton only had to lower the boat-hook and thrust it right down as a wild cry came from the cabin overhead. The next minute he had caught the wretched, half-distraught fellow, and dragged him to the surface, where Neb Dumlow seized him and s.n.a.t.c.hed him over the side to let him fall into the bottom of the boat, and thrust his foot upon him to keep him down.

"Want to doctor him, sir?" then said Dumlow gruffly.

But there was no answer, for our attention was taken up by a savage burst of rage from Jarette, who fired at us unmistakably this time, and a sharp cry came from one of the occupants of the boat.

"I warned you," cried Jarette. "Now row for your lives."

"Yes, in heaven's name, go," cried Mr Denning, "you are only adding to our agony."

"No," cried Mr Frewen, "I will not give up. Brymer--my lads, you will fol--"

"Hush," said Mr Brymer, as there was another flash and a report from Jarette's pistol. "Of course we will follow, but not now. It would be madness. Wait, man! We will not go far. Use your oars, my lads."

"No, no, I forbid it," cried Mr Frewen wildly, "and I call upon you men to help me board this ship."

"You are not in command here, sir," said Mr Brymer sternly. "Take your place. Now, my lads, oars, and give way."

There was another shot from the deck, and one of the men uttered an exclamation as the blades were thrust over the side, dipped, and seemed to lift golden water at every stroke.