The Golden Rock Part 13

"What is that?"

"Money!"

"Ah! come with me," and she started for the cabin.

"Laura, don't be imprudent. You forget."

"No, on the contrary, Mr Commins, I remember that this gentleman has behaved n.o.bly, and risked his life while others remained in safety."

Mr Commins murmured something about being ill, but he shot an evil look at Frank.

"Come, Mr Hume."

"No, madam; if you a.s.sure me, that is sufficient. It will be necessary to pay for the coal in cash."

"You have some scheme," she said, looking earnestly at him, and placing her fingers on his arm.

"I have, or, rather, the Captain--"

"Ah, that is better," said Commins, with a sneer.

"Say no more, Mr Hume; I have faith in the resources and courage of my officers." She gave him her hand, but her eyes were fixed on Commins.

Frank, somewhat uneasy at what he had witnessed of the familiarity between the two, hurried away with the wine and cigars to presently engage the Lieutenant in pleasant conversation in French.

Seeing the officer comfortably seated in the chart-room with the wine, he went to the side to receive Webster, who had returned in the best of humours with a boat-load of bananas, custard apples, grapes, vegetables, and fresh meat.

"I have left the engineer ash.o.r.e, drinking Madeira with an old crony,"

shouted the genial officer.

"Good," said Frank, raising his voice. "I'll ask the Captain to let me return for him later on. Well," he whispered a moment later, as Webster stepped on board, "what about the barges?"

"They have 300 tons, and are waiting out there for the Cape mail steamer, due early to-morrow morning."

"Well, the mail steamer will have to wait. That is our coal."

CHAPTER NINE.

COALING THE CATCHER.

Lieutenant Webster joined the Portuguese officer in the chart-room, where, with his gallant attempts to speak French, and his readiness to join in the laughter at his own most amusing blunders, he quite charmed Lieutenant Gobo, who grew confidential, and imparted an interesting item of news.

"You will remain with us, amigo mio, and we will crack many a bottle of old Madeira in a posado kept by an old man with two lovely daughters."

"Thanks, senor, with pleasure, if we do not depart to-morrow."

"To-morrow! What say you? We have a proverb that says that the wages of to-morrow mock the promise of yesterday. To-morrow you will all be our very good guests."

"For my part, nothing would please me better; but our Captain has said that to-morrow he will sail, and he is a very devil--diavolo--eh?"

"You speak idly, my friend. I a.s.sure you to-morrow this ship of yours will be seized."

"How so, Lieutenant? We have no quarrel with Portugal; and, moreover, there is no craft here that could overhaul us."

"Not here at present, senor, but it is coming."

"Your gla.s.s is empty, Lieutenant. Is this a British ship you speak of?--for I know none other that could capture us."

"There are other ships than British afloat," said the officer, twirling his moustache. "The ship I speak of flies the Brazilian flag: the _Esperanza_ sloop of war, which, providentially, left Lisbon two days since, and may be here at any hour. She was advised of the escape of your boat from the Thames, and has warned us to be on the watch. Juarez is her commander, and I tell you he also is a devil. Ha! ha!"

"I perceive," said Webster, with a laugh, "you have been too smart for us. We English are sometimes very dull."

"Truly, mon ami, in quickness of wit, as in matters of love, we of the South are superior to you heavy islanders. But you are good comrades, nevertheless. Your health, senor."

"I see the bottle's empty. Pardon me, Lieutenant, while I overhaul the locker." Webster, with an innocent look on his bronzed face, went below and sent a message to the Captain.

"Sir," he said, as the Captain approached, "there is a Brazilian sloop of war in pursuit of us. She may be here to-night, or in the morning."

"How did you learn this?" asked Captain Pardoe, with a dark look.

"From that yellow-skinned effigy on deck. The _Swift_ is to be taken to-morrow and the crew landed. It is all settled."

"Is it?" said the Captain, with a peculiar smile. "We shall see to that Hume will presently leave for the sh.o.r.e with two men. As soon as his boat is clear have these soldiers seized and bound. Take your measures quietly, Mr Webster, and be very careful that they do not cry out."

"What's on foot, Captain?"

"We mean to have that coal, my boy, sloop or no sloop. Thunder, do they suppose I'll surrender to a sloop after defying a British cruiser! You have your orders." The Captain went down to the engine-room; and Webster, after securing another bottle, gave a few sharp words of instruction to the Quartermaster, who received them with a grin.

Soon after a boat from the sh.o.r.e came alongside with a gendarme, who, after a few words with Lieutenant Gobo, received a note from that officer and returned.

"I have a.s.sured my Captain," said the Lieutenant to Webster, "that we are friendly here, and that while one of your men is ash.o.r.e he need not take extra precautions."

"What precautions are, then, necessary?"

"Oh, a boat or two of soldadoes!"

"Mr Hume!" cried the Captain, from his position on the bridge, "you will take the boat for Mr Dixon, and see what arrangements you can make for coaling to-morrow."

The Lieutenant jogged Webster in the ribs.

"Is he not droll--this Captain of yours?"

"Very droll," remarked Webster, with a meaning look at the Quartermaster, who stood near.

Hume swung into the boat with two men, and gave the order to push off.