The Little Skipper Part 8

"Go, sir, instantly!" roared the Captain.

"What! and leave you here?" cried the man. "Not me. It's mut'ny, but I won't desert my Captain."

Captain Trevor caught him by the hand. "To save my boy, Jeffs," he said hoa.r.s.ely. "Man, I cannot desert my ship."

The c.o.xswain looked puzzled, and hesitated.

"Quick, man!" roared the Captain. "Ah! too late!"

For a tremendous wave struck the side of the "Flash," swept over her, and deluged the boat, hanging from the other side, with spray; and when the veil of foam fell, she had disappeared, and the three left on the bridge, were all that remained.

The Skipper had stood watching all, with a scared white lace, but he had not uttered a cry, for there were two people with him, in whom he had the firmest faith; and now, amidst the roaring of the waves, he stood, and listened to the angry scene which followed.

For Tom Jells had unfastened his life-belt.

"Put that on again, instantly!" cried the Captain.

"Can't, your honour. You ain't got one."

"You are a stronger and a better swimmer than I am, Jeffs. I beg and pray you, then--I do not order you--to save my child and take him to his mother. Tell her I did my duty to the last."

Tom Jeffs tied the life-belt on again, and said gruffly: "It's your orders, sir, and I'll do it if I live."

At that moment as if by magic the fog began to grow light towards the south. Then lighter still, and floated slowly eastward after the boats, leaving the "Flash" quite clear, with the breaking waves sparkling in the sun. In another five minutes, there was the sh.o.r.e, not a quarter of a mile away, with a broad beach of sand beneath the towering granite cliffs.

"Ah!" cried the Captain; "you can swim that, Jeffs?"

"I think so, sir."

"Then go right forward with him, watch for a heavy wave, and over with you."

The man nodded, and held out his great fist.

"You'll shake hands with me, sir?"

The Captain clasped his man's hand directly.

"You'll come too, sir?"

"Man, my arm is broken," said the Captain.

Jeff stared at him in horror, and then, picked up the remains of the lead-line, and before the Captain could check him, he had lashed him fast to the rail of the bridge.

"I'm going to fetch a boat to take you off, sir," he cried; and he stooped down to pick up Bob, and go on to the fore part of the vessel; but in spite of the roar and confusion made by the water thundering about them, and drenching them, as every wave broke, the gallant little fellow had fully realised the terrible position in which they stood, and eluding the c.o.xswain's grasp, he ran to his father, and clung to him.

"No, no," he cried; "I won't go. I'll stay with my father till you----"

"Spoke like a hero," cried Jeffs, "but orders must be obeyed, my lad,"

and seizing the little fellow round the waist, he ran down to the deck, then right to the bows, with his burden struggling and striking at him to escape. The next minute, he was up on the bulwark, and as a wave surged up, plunged overboard, rose directly well clear of the vessel on the rocks, looked back, to see the Captain on the bridge, and then, holding the boy's head well above the water with his left arm, struck out with his right, for the sh.o.r.e.

It was a hard fight to avoid the rocks, but the life-belts made the task easier, and Tom Jeffs swam and was carried on sh.o.r.e-ward, to where a dozen fishermen were on the look-out with ropes, one of whom ran in from the sands to the c.o.xswain's help, and dragged him in to safety; but, in spite of all his efforts, the Skipper was insensible. He soon roused, to stand with Jeffs, watching his father, lashed to the bright bra.s.s handrail on the bridge.

"Get a boat, Jack; oh, get a boat," cried the boy.

"You be a man and listen, youngster," cried the c.o.xswain tenderly, but firmly. "Hear what I says, and act like a man. These here, as knows the coast, says no boat could be launched now, but the tide's a-falling fast, and bimeby they'll go and fetch the skipper off--if she don't go to pieces fust," he added to himself.

"And take me too!" cried the boy wildly.

"Well, we'll see, my lad, but one on us o' course. But, Master Bob, do you know what you ought to do?"

"Save my father," panted the boy.

"But as you can't, my lad, ask Someone else."

And, as the boy looked wonderingly at him, Tom Jeffs said in a whisper: "Climb up yonder on the cliff, where Cap'n can see you, and no one else, and go down on your knees, my lad--you knows what for."

In three hours' time the sea had fallen so, that a fishing-lugger came round a headland from a mile farther west, to where the "Flash" lay fast wedged in a cleft, and amidst the cheers of the great crowd, now gathered, Captain Trevor was taken from his dangerous position, while the news was brought, that the three boats had reached the great bay to the east, without the loss of a man.

The next day at high tide, in a perfectly calm sea, the "Flash" was floated off, much injured, of course, but able to reach the harbour by the help of a tug. And when the time came for the Captain's trial, on the charge of losing the vessel under his command, and he stood there with his arm in a sling, his sword was returned to him by the President, who, in a long speech, said, that he had behaved as a seaman of whom the country might be proud. His ship was afloat again, and was waiting for its Captain, whom the Court considered in no way to blame.

"Just as if all them there bigwigs need ha' made all that fuss, Master Bob," said the c.o.xswain one day when he was up at the house. "Why, if I'd ha' been the Adm'ral I should ha' just slapped the Cap'n on the shoulder and ha' said, 'It's a bad job, Cap'n Trevor, but the dock-yard folk'll soon put the "Flash" to rights, and, as soon as your fin feels fit, go down and take the command again.'"

"Of course, 'Jack,'" said the Skipper proudly. "It wasn't his fault a bit."

"O' course not, and it's been a lesson for you not to leave that there little darlin' sis o' yours again.'

"Yes, 'Jack,'" said the Skipper, turning away his flushed face.

"Well, you needn't be 'shamed o' doing wrong if so be as you're really sorry for it. But, I say, Master Bob."

"Yes, 'Jack.'"

"When you're growed up into a real big Cap'n, and we tries to save your life a-swimming ash.o.r.e with you, don't you go for to punch me in the nose again, like you did that day."

"Oh, 'Jack,' I am so sorry," cried the Skipper, looking very red.

"Yes, but you punched me six times, two on the nose, one in each eye, one in the mouth, and once somewhere else; I forget now, but it hurt so I think it must ha' been on the nose."

"I'm afraid so, 'Jack,'" said the Skipper penitently.

"But I forgive you. I liked it."

"Bob, dear," said a pleasant voice from the drawing-room window, "mind that Mr. Jeffs does not go till he has had some dinner."

"All right, Ma," shouted the boy.