The Black Bar Part 25

The boat started back with the doctor, while the other took out an anchor right astern, the capstan was rigged, a good strain got upon the cable, and after a great deal of tugging with the handspikes the men gave a hearty cheer and began to strain harder, for the tide had risen a little, and the schooner gradually glided off into deeper water.

An answering cheer came back from the _Nautilus_, and a signal was hoisted, which Mr Russell read to mean, "Well done!"

Five minutes after they were lying at anchor, and Tom Fillot took the opportunity of pa.s.sing to whisper to Mark,--

"We did tug at them bars, sir. It means no end o' prize-money--the saving of a smart craft like this; but, beg pardon, sir, ain't we going to have a bit of a wash and swab?"

"More signals, sir," cried Bob, who was watching the _Nautilus_ and the flags being run up.

"Yes, I see," said the lieutenant. "Take the boat, Mr Howlett, and ask for stores to be sent on board here. We are to remain."

Bob looked disappointed, and then pleased.

"You're in for it, Van," he whispered, as they walked to the gangway.

"I say, shall I send you a bottle of eau-de-cologne with the stores?"

Mark made a gesture as if to kick him, but Bob dropped down into the boat, was rowed off, and in due time the supplies arrived.

"Not quite the sort of duty we expected, Vandean," said the lieutenant, "but we must take the rough with the smooth, I suppose."

"Shall we have to stop on board here?"

"Not a doubt about it, my lad; but she's a valuable prize, and by to-morrow we'll have her different from this, or know the reason why."

He set to work giving orders after the men had been refreshed; and, now that the two black sailors grasped the object of the taking of the schooner, and comprehended that the slaves were to be set free, they began to work with tremendous energy. Though speaking a dialect somewhat different from that of the poor creatures on board, they made them understand that their lot had been bettered, and, as soon as this was understood, a complete change came over the scene. The women laughed and cried, and the men evinced a desire to help, so that before night the hold had been cleansed and ventilated, and the deck opened to let in light, till, though still far from being pure, the place began to be bearable.

The task had not been completed, though, without attendant horrors, for upon the first steps being taken to examine the hold, no less than six poor creatures, victims to the hideous traffic, were found lying where they had fallen--dead.

It was horrible in the extreme, Mark felt, but nothing else could be done, and the sufferers were committed to the deep by their more fortunate companions, with a few wails of grief and beatings of the breast. Then all was over, and the cleansing went on, till Mr Russell gave orders for the men to cease.

"And pretty well time," grumbled Tom Fillot. "There's been some hundred millions o' buckets o' water slooshed about this here schooner."

"More or less, Tom," said Mark, laughing.

"Well, sir, I dessay you're right," said the man, "for I didn't count; but I've been hauling up buckets and swabbing till I don't seem to have no arms. Howsoever, we are a little bit more decent, and I don't think we shall have anything on our consciences to-night."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think any n.i.g.g.e.rs'll die 'cause of our not taking care on 'em, sir, that's all."

Just before dark, Bob Howlett was back on board with a despatch for the lieutenant, and soon after he had gone Mr Russell told Mark the contents.

"We're to make sail as soon as there's a breath of wind," he said, "and steer for Port Goldby, so as to get the blacks ash.o.r.e and in charge of the authorities as quickly as possible. But there will be no wind to-night, my lad, and I shouldn't be surprised if it was calm all day to-morrow. Still, there, one never knows what the weather is likely to be."

"It's calm enough now," said Mark, as he looked sh.o.r.eward over the gla.s.sy sea to where a thin haze veiled the sh.o.r.e. "How hot it is!"

"Yes; Africa deserves its character," said the lieutenant, smiling.

Then, as he looked toward the groups of blacks--slaves no longer--lying about the deck in comparative bliss, after what they had gone through--"I must send those poor creatures below," he said. "I don't think there is the most remote idea among them of an attempt to turn against us, but the land is near, and they might think they would like to strike off for liberty, and it would be a cruelty to let them go back to slavery, as they would if they got ash.o.r.e."

"It does seem hard to send them down into that stifling hold," said Mark; "but I suppose it must be done."

"Yes, and at once," said Mr Russell, firmly. "Call that big black."

Mark went forward and summoned Soup, who came smiling, to look from one to the other inquiringly.

With some difficulty he was made to understand what was wanted; and as soon as he did he called his companion, and in a very few minutes they had cleared the deck, the women and children going below docilely enough, and the men making not the slightest opposition, though giving a longing look round at the soft evening sky.

"No trouble there," said Mr Russell. "Now, Vandean, I propose that we divide the night. I'll take the watch, and will call you for the next, unless the wind springs up, and then of course it will be all hands on deck. Who will you have in your watch--Dance, or Fillot?"

"Fillot," said Mark, promptly.

"Most amusing companion, but Dance is the better seaman."

"Shall I have Dance, then, sir?"

"I would rather you did, my lad, as the responsibility is great, and I should lie down to rest with more confidence. Not that I doubt you," he hastened to add. "There, I'll join you at a bit of supper at once.

Things seem pretty comfortable in the cabin, and, as it is our prize, we may make free with what we like. Come along."

Mark gave a sharp look round as they walked toward the cabin-hatch, to see through the hot glow the _Nautilus_ at anchor, looking trim, and with every yard squared. She seemed to stand up out of the water in the transparent atmosphere, with every rope clearly seen, but there was a peculiar look seaward, as if the transparent darkness were sweeping over the ocean to shut her in. He looked sh.o.r.eward to faintly discern the tops of some palms, but all below these was shut in by haze which rose from the mouth of the river.

"Doesn't look a healthy place, and this can't be a healthy ship, Vandean, but we must make the best of it, and be off to sea at the first chance."

They both stood at the head of the cabin stairs, and took another look round, to see if anything had been left undone; and just then Dance the c.o.xswain came up and touched his hat.

"Shall I hoist an anchor-light, sir, as soon as it's dark?" said the man, respectfully.

"No," replied the lieutenant, decisively. "No one is likely to run us down, here. Now, Vandean."

He led the way into the cabin, saying, "We don't want to show people ash.o.r.e where we are. Hah! that's right. This is Tom Fillot's doing.

He's a handy fellow."

He pointed to the preparations for a meal of no mean proportions, for the skipper of the schooner and his crew had been liberally provided for by their owners; and now, feeling hungry for the first time that day, Mark ate a hearty supper. After a little chat they went on deck again, to find that the sky was now literally black, and the only thing visible as they lay there in the utter silence was a star-like light lying apparently close by--a light which Mark knew at once must be that of the _Nautilus_.

"Why, she has come in closer while we've been below," he said.

"On the contrary, she has run out with the tide, and is a good two miles away. Let's have a look round."

The first movement was to the sentry on guard over the hatch, from which came the sounds of heavy breathing, and the man reported in a whisper that the blacks had not made another sound.

The rest of the watch were next visited, and there was nothing to report.

"There," said the lieutenant, "all's well. Go and sleep, my lad. I'll keep a faithful watch over you; when your turn comes do the same for me.

Good-night."

"Good-night, sir," said Mark, eagerly taking the hand extended to him, and gripping it firmly. Then going below, feeling weary, but unwilling to leave the deck, he crept into the skipper's comfortable bunk to rest himself, feeling certain that he would not sleep. For it was very hot down there, in spite of the open cabin window; the mosquitoes were uttering their tiresome fine-drawn hum, and he was excited by the events of the day.

"It's like going to sleep on the edge of a volcano," he thought.

"Suppose the blacks do rise, and, led by our two fellows, attack us. We should be taken by surprise, and it would be all over in a minute. I can't go to sleep. I'll lie still a bit, and then go on deck."