The Ocean Waifs Part 13

The sun set upon their task still unfinished; but they retired hopefully to rest: for the sky promised a continuance of the calm weather, and they knew that if the promise was kept, a few hours in the morning of the following day would suffice to complete the construction of a raft,--one that would not only give them ample accommodation for the stowage both of themselves and their stores, but would in all probability ride out any gale likely to be encountered in that truly _pacific_ part of the Atlantic Ocean.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

THE CATAMARAN.

Next morning, as soon as there was light enough for them to see what they were about, the work was resumed; and the timbers having been put together in a fashion to satisfy all hands, were lashed to one another as tightly as the united strength of the sailor, s...o...b..ll, and Little William could draw the ropes around them.

The structure when completed was of an oblong shape,--somewhat resembling a punt or flat-bottomed ferry-boat,--nearly twenty feet in length by about half as much in breadth of beam. The empty hogsheads were placed around the edge in a regular manner. One lay crosswise at the head, while another was similarly situated as regarded the stern.

The other four--there were six in all--were lashed lengthwise along the sides,--two of them opposite each other on the larboard and starboard bows, while the other two respectively represented the "quarters." By this arrangement a certain symmetry was obtained; and when the structure was complete, it really looked like a craft intended for navigation, and by Ben Brace,--its chief architect,--it was facetiously christened _The Catamaran_.

By noon of the second day the _Catamaran_ was completed,--so far as the _hull_ was concerned. Had s...o...b..ll been by himself he would have left it in that state: for the black did not yet believe that there was the slightest probability of reaching land by means of such an embarkation.

But the sailor,--more skilled in such matters,--was of a different way of thinking. He believed it not only possible, but probable enough, that this feat might be accomplished. He knew that they were in the very centre of the southern trade-wind; and that the raft, even if left to itself, would in time drift onward to some point on the coast of South America. With a sail its speed would be accelerated; and although, thus furnished, such a clumsy structure could not sail very swiftly, there was still a chance of its carrying them safely,--if slowly,--to land. Ben knew it was simply a question of time,--dependent upon how long their provisions might last them,--but more especially their supply of water.

Having formed in his own mind a sort of rough calculation as to the chances, and finding them rather in favour of the scheme, he determined on making trial of it, by erecting a mast upon the raft, and to this bending a sail. At the worst, their chances of being picked up would be quite as good while sailing with the wind, as if they allowed themselves to lie adrift upon the ocean.

Fortunately the materials for both mast and sail were on hand, and in abundance. They had found the "spanker" of the _Pandora_ floating about, with its boom and all the cordage attached. By using the boom as a mast, and another smaller spar as a boom, they could rig up such a sail as would carry the _Catamaran_ through the water with considerable velocity.

As soon as he had fully considered it in his own mind, the sailor, aided by s...o...b..ll and Little William, proceeded to rig the _Catamaran_, and by the close of the third day from the commencement of their labours a tall mast stood up out of the centre of that curious craft, midships between stem and stern, with boom and guy, and a broad sail hanging loosely along its yard,--ready to be spread to the first breath of wind that might blow westward over the ocean.

The breeze which had brought Ben and little William back among the wreck-drift of the slave-bark, leading to a renewal of intercourse with their old shipmate, s...o...b..ll, had been blowing in the contrary direction to that in which the sailor intended to steer. This breeze, however, was not such as was to be looked for in that lat.i.tude. It was only a mere puff,--a cat's-paw,--in the midst of the calm that had continued for many days after the destruction of the slaver. It had lulled again on the same night in which the rafts had become united; and ever since,--during the three days they had been at work in the construction of the _Catamaran_,--the calm had continued without intermission.

On the fourth day things remained the same,--not a breath stirring from any quarter to ruffle the gla.s.sy surface of the sea; which, like a mirror, reflected the odd image of the _Catamaran_, with her six hogsheads set like bulwarks around her sides, and her stout mast tapering tall and solitary out of her midst.

Neither her captain,--Ben Brace of course,--nor those of her crew who were capable of reflecting on the future, and providing for its probable contingencies, regretted this inaction,--forced upon them by the continuance of the calm. Indeed, although becalmed, the "Catamarans"

were not inactive. There was work worthy of their activity, and which occupied them during the whole of the day. By the aid of oars,--several of which were fortunately in their possession,--they kept the new craft in constant motion; quartering the square mile of sea-surface, upon which floated the fragments of the ill-fated _Pandora_.

Many a waif did they pick up, and stow away on their new craft against the contingency of some future need.

Among other "floating fragments" Ben chanced upon his own sea-chest; which secured him a change of linen,--to say nothing of a full suit of "Sunday go-ash.o.r.es" and variety of knick-knacks likely to prove of service on the problematical voyage he proposed making.

The chest itself was retained to serve as a useful "locker."

The fourth day being spent in such fashion, the Catamarans retired to rest,--little William, at the request of the sailor, repeating the Lord's Prayer, and ending it, by the dictation of the latter, with a short pet.i.tion for a wind that would waft them to the westward!

It seemed as if that simple pet.i.tion had been heard and granted. As the sun once more rose over the ocean, its glossy surface became broken into tiny corrugations by a breeze blowing as if from the sun himself. The sail was run up the slippery mast; it was tightly sheeted home; and the _Catamaran_, rushing rapidly through the water, soon cleared herself from that fatal spot where the slaver had perished.

"Westward ho!" cried Ben Brace, as he saw the sail swell out, and the craft, the product of his own skill, walking proudly away through the water like a "thing of life."

"Westward ho!" simultaneously echoed s...o...b..ll and Little William; while the eyes of Lilly Lalee sparkled with joy, as she beheld the enthusiastic bearing of her companions.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

LITTLE WILLIAM AND LILLY LALEE.

The wind was favourable in more senses than one. Besides blowing in the desired direction, it kept steady and continuous,--never rising above a gentle breeze, nor again returning to that calm from which they had just escaped, and the recurrence of which, to the captain of the _Catamaran_, would have been almost as unwelcome as a gale.

It was just the sort of wind for the trial of a new craft--barely ruffling the surface of the sea, and yet filling the sail till its sheet was as taut as a bow-string. As it blew direct from the east, that part of the _Catamaran_ which Ben had christened her _head_ was pointed due westward; and to hinder the craft from veering round, or luffing back into the eye of the wind, her builders had constructed a steering apparatus at the stern. It was simply a very large oar,--one that had appertained to the longboat of the _Pandora_,--placed fore and aft across the swell of the stern water-cask. It was held in that position by ropes attaching it to the cask, at the same time that they permitted it to play through the water, and perform the office of a rudder. By means of this simple contrivance,--which had been rigged before starting on her cruise,--the _Catamaran_ could be steered to any point of the compa.s.s, and kept either before the wind, or luffed up as close to it as she was capable of sailing.

Of course it required one or other of them to be always at the "wheel,"

as Ben facetiously styled the steering apparatus, and the first spell of this duty the captain had taken upon himself, considering it too important,--so long as it was only on trial,--to be intrusted either to s...o...b..ll or little William. After they should get fairly under way, and there could be no longer any doubt as to the sailing qualities of the _Catamaran_, both the above-mentioned individuals would be expected to take their turn "at the wheel."

For more than an hour the _Catamaran_ continued her course, without anything occurring to interrupt the "even tenor of her way." Her captain, seated in the stern, and still in charge of the steering-oar, was the only one occupied in the conduct of the craft. s...o...b..ll was busy among his stores,--most of which lay in a ma.s.s amidships,-- arranging them into some sort of order, and placing each article in the most suitable position to withstand any sudden a.s.sault of the winds and waves.

Little William and Lilly Lalee were far forward against the cask which represented the head of the craft, and which, being quite empty, stood high above the surface of the water.

Neither was engaged in any particular employment,--except in talking kindly to each other, and at intervals exchanging expressions of joy at the fortune that had so singularly reunited them under two such courageous protectors.

It is true that, on board the slaver,--during that brief voyage, brought to such an abrupt and disastrous termination,--the two had seen but little of one another, and knew less. The pretty little Portuguese had been kept within the cabin, never going beyond the confines of the "quarter"; while the English lad, in continual fear of receiving rough treatment from either the captain or mates, rarely ventured within that sacred precinct unless in obedience to some command from his dreaded superiors.

Then stayed he only long enough to execute the order as speedily as possible,--knowing that to linger by the cabin would be to expose himself to rude insult,--perhaps to be pitched into the scuppers or kicked back to the forecastle.

Under such disadvantageous circ.u.mstances, it is not to be wondered at that the sailor-boy found but few opportunities of holding communication with the half-caste girl, who, by the singular chances already stated, had been his fellow-voyager on board the ill-fated bark.

Though he had held but slight converse with his youthful _compagnon du voyage_, and knew but little either of her moral or intellectual character, he was nevertheless most intimately acquainted with her personal appearance. There was not a feature in her pretty, sweet face, not a ringlet in her jetty curling hair, with which his eyes were not perfectly familiar.

Ofttimes had he stood,--half-screened behind the sails,--gazing upon her as she loitered by the cabin hatch, surrounded by rude ruffian forms, like a little white lamb in the midst of so many wolves.

Ofttimes had the sight caused his pulse to beat and his heart to throb with throes in which pain and pleasure were equally commingled, but the cause of which he could not comprehend.

Now, seated side by side with this young creature on board the _Catamaran_,--even on that frail embarkation, which at any moment might be scattered to the winds, or whelmed under the black billows of the sea,--the sailor-boy no longer felt pain while gazing in her face, but only that sweet incomprehensible pleasure.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

TOO LATE!

Nearly two hours had transpired since the starting of the _Catamaran_,-- during which time but little change took place in the relative positions of those on board. Then, however, s...o...b..ll having finished the stowage of his stores, proposed taking his turn at steering. The offer was willingly accepted by the sailor, who, relinquishing his hold upon the oar, went forward amidships. There he had placed his old sea-chest; and, kneeling in front of it, he commenced rummaging among its contents, with the design of making himself more familiar with them, and seeing whether he might not discover some article inside that would be serviceable under the circ.u.mstances.

William and Lilly Lalee still remained by the head,--the boy habitually keeping a lookout over the ocean, but at frequent intervals turning his glances towards her who sat by his side, and endeavouring to interest her with his conversation.

The girl could not speak English,--only a few phrases which she had picked up from English or American seamen, who had visited her father's fort upon the African coast. These, though by her repeated in all innocence, were neither of the most refined character, nor yet sufficiently comprehensive to enable her to hold any lengthened dialogue. It was in her own tongue that the conversation between her and William was carried on: for the lad had picked up a somewhat extensive vocabulary of Portuguese among the sailors of the _Pandora_-- many of whom were of that nation. It was a sort of "lingoa geral"

spoken along the seaboard of Africa,--not unlike a similar Portuguese patois, current on the coasts and large rivers of tropical South America.

In this language, little William, by the aid of signs and gestures, was able to keep up an occasional conversation with Lilly Lalee.

During the two hours which the sailor had remained at the steering-oar,--and for some time after,--no incident occurred to interrupt the tranquillity of the _Catamaran's_ crew.

A very odd sort of fish, swimming about a cable's length ahead of the craft, had attracted the attention of William and the girl,--exciting their curiosity so much as to cause them to rise to their feet and stand watching it.

The interest which this creature had inspired was not, however, of a pleasant kind. On the contrary, both looked upon it with feelings of repugnance, almost amounting to awe; for it was in reality one of the ugliest monsters to be met with in the great deep.

In size it it as about equal to the body of a man; but much more elongated, and lessening gradually towards the tail. It seemed to possess a double quant.i.ty of fins,--lunated along their outer margins, and set thickly over its body, so as to give it a bristling aspect.