The Three Admirals Part 21

Tom of course explained what had happened, while Gerald and Billy were telling the same story to Captain Murray. Doctor Loc.o.c.k was of course well taken care of by the surgeon, and invited into the ward-room. Tom had a good deal to hear about family matters. Desmond and Billy Blueblazes were soon made at home by the other young gentlemen of the ship, while the men were equally cared for forward. Captain Murray did not think it worth while to send on sh.o.r.e for the small part of the whaler's cargo which had been saved, but he promised to give information to the first American man-of-war he might fall in with, that she might go for it if it was thought worth while.

The account which the midshipmen gave of the _Dragon_ caused considerable anxiety. When Captain Murray heard that her machinery was out of order, he felt satisfied that she had gone on to Hong-kong, and as she would certainly be detained there for some time, she would not even yet be able to get back to the Bonins.

"Perhaps," observed Tom, "Commander Rawson fancies we are lost, and if so he is not likely to come and look for us."

The wind continuing light, the _Bellona_ steered on, soon leaving the coral island far astern.

Shortly after they had got on board, Gerald asked Tom to try and learn from his brother the reasons why his uncle had sent for him home.

"One of them was, I conclude, that as he expected to get a command himself, he was anxious to have his nephew with him," answered Jack.

"Another is that in consequence of the death of several persons, young Desmond is heir-at-law to a handsome estate and a t.i.tle. His uncle thought it better to have him near at hand, instead of knocking about far away from home. There is likely to be a trial of some sort, but my friend Adair is very sanguine of success. It may be several years, however, before the matter is settled, as all depends upon the life of the present possessor, who, although somewhat old, is hale and hearty.

But as he may possibly break his neck, or go out of the world suddenly by some other means, it is well that Desmond should be on the spot to claim his rights. I don't know whether Adair intended to let his nephew know this until his arrival, but as it was not told to me in confidence, I may mention it to you. However, use your own discretion in what you say to your friend--only do not let him be too sanguine; but it may perhaps make him take care of himself, which hitherto I suspect he has not been apt to do."

Tom promised to be very discreet in what he said to Gerald, so as not to disappoint him should he fail of success.

Towards the evening of the day the _Bellona_ had left the coral island, a shout was heard from the look-out at the mast-head, "A rock on the starboard bow!" An officer, however, going aloft with his gla.s.s, p.r.o.nounced it to be a dismasted vessel. The frigate was accordingly headed up towards her, and on a nearer approach, from her peculiar build, she was seen to be undoubtedly a Chinese or j.a.panese craft. It was at first supposed that no one was on board, but as the steamer neared, a flag was waved from the after part of the stranger.

The ship's way was accordingly stopped, and a boat was lowered. Captain Rogers volunteering to examine her, Tom accompanied him. As they approached they saw that she must have encountered bad weather, for not only had she lost her masts, but she had no boats, and a considerable portion of her upper works had been carried away, while her sides had a weather-worn appearance, as if she had been a long time knocking about at sea.

On getting on deck, one person only was to be seen, who, though dressed as a Chinese, had European features.

"I am thankful you have fallen in with us, gentlemen," he said, in good English, "for I don't know what would otherwise have become of this craft or us."

"Of us! Is there any one besides yourself on board?" asked Jack.

"Yes, I have my wife with me--we were pa.s.sengers on board; when the junk was blown off the coast and lost her masts, the crew deserted in the boat, leaving us to our fate."

"Your wife! Where is she?" asked Jack.

"She is below, sir," was the answer; "but she is a foreigner, young, and timid, and was afraid to come on deck."

"What are you?--an Englishman?" inquired Jack.

"Well, as to that, I am more of an American, though I have been out in these seas so long that I cannot say I belong to any nation. Still, I have not forgotten my native tongue. I should be grateful if you would take us in tow, or supply me with spars and canvas, so that I might find my way back."

"That is more than you will be able to do, I suspect, with your craft knocked about as she is, and probably leaking not a little, even with the a.s.sistance of your wife," answered Jack. "As for taking you in tow, that is out of the question--we should drag the bows out of her; but if you will bring your wife and any property you possess on board, I can answer for it that the captain will give you a pa.s.sage to Hong-kong or any other place at which we may touch where you desire to leave the ship. You are a seaman, I presume, from your undertaking to sail back the junk. What is your name, may I ask?" said Jack.

"Jonathan Jull, at your service."

"That name has a Yankee smack about it, certainly," observed Jack.

"Well, Mr Jull, I'll overhaul the craft, and report her condition to the captain. He may possibly think fit to take her in tow, but I can make no promises on the subject. In the mean time prepare your wife for accompanying you on board."

While Jonathan Jull went into one of the after cabins, Jack and Tom, with two men who had come on board, went round the junk. She had a considerable amount of cargo on board, of a somewhat miscellaneous character. Jack ordered the well to be sounded. Tom and one of the men performed the operation, and reported three feet in the hold, a large amount of water for a flat-bottomed craft. They had not long continued their search when Tom exclaimed--

"Look here; these are suspicious-looking marks. I have already observed others. They are evidently caused by bullets. See, in several places pieces of wood have been chipped off, and here is a bullet sticking in the planking."

"What do you think of this, sir?" asked one of the men, pointing to some dark splashes on the deck and side of the vessel.

"That's blood; there can be no doubt about it. I suspect that there has been some foul work on board," observed Jack. "I wonder whether Mr Jull can account for the circ.u.mstance."

"He, at all events, will give his own version of the matter," remarked Tom.

On a further search other signs of violence were discovered. Jack began to suspect that the man's account of being deserted by the crew was not a true one. He resolved, however, before questioning him, to take him on board the _Bellona_, to let Captain Murray decide what to do. "It appears to me that unless several hands are placed on board to keep the vessel clear of water, she must sink in a day or two if towed by the ship; and that certainly Mr Jull, experienced seaman as he may be, even with the aid of his wife, cannot, even were the craft supplied with masts and sails, find his way back to China. He is far more likely to run on a coral reef, or purposely cast his vessel away on one of the many islands in these seas, and take up his abode there."

One thing was certain, there was something suspicions about the man.

Captain Rogers and Tom now made their way to the main cabin, where what was their surprise to see a remarkably handsome young female bending over a chest, in which she was engaged in packing up various articles which Jonathan Jull, as he called himself, standing by, was handing to her. Her complexion and countenance, as well as her costume, showed her to be an oriental, probably a Malay, though her features were more refined than those of Malays in general. She rose as she saw the strangers enter the cabin, and unconsciously stood with her arms crossed on her bosom, gazing at them with her large l.u.s.trous eyes, which expressed more terror than satisfaction.

"I see that you are preparing to quit the vessel, Mr Jull," said Jack.

"I must beg you to make haste and stow that chest, as we cannot remain much longer on board. Indeed, from her condition, it is impossible to say when she may go down."

The man, without at first answering, turned to the Malay girl, and spoke some words to her in her own language, on which she again knelt down and continued packing the chest. There were several cases which the man handed quickly to the girl, but the other things were chiefly articles of clothing, with two or three jewel-hilted daggers, a short sword, and a brace of long-barrelled, beautifully mounted pistols. He had been apparently not desirous to allow the English officers to see the contents of his chest. As soon as it was filled, having locked it, he produced a stout rope and lashed it in a seamanlike manner.

"Now, sir, my wife and I are ready," he said, throwing a cloak over the girl's head, with which she could conceal her features. "If your people will lend me a hand to get this chest into the boat, I shall be obliged," he continued. "As you say, sir, the craft is not very seaworthy, and since I made you out I have neglected to keep the pump going. I have been compelled to work at it for several hours every day, or the leak would soon have gained on me."

The man as he spoke seemed perfectly cool and collected, and not at all unwilling to go on board the ship of war. The chest, which was somewhat heavy, was lowered into the boat, with the aid of a tackle which the owner produced. He and his wife then followed, taking their seats in the stern sheets. As the boat pulled away from the junk Jack observed that she had sunk already much lower in the water than when he went on board, and seemed to be settling down astern.

"That craft has sprung a fresh leak since we saw her first," observed one of the crew, who had remained in the boat looking at the stranger.

"I heard a curious noise as we were alongside, as if water was rushing in under the counter. We should have let you know if you hadn't come to the side with the chest."

These words were spoken loud enough to be heard aft. Tom fancied that he detected a peculiar expression pa.s.s over Jull's countenance, but the man immediately resumed his unconcerned look, and spoke to his wife as if endeavouring to quiet her apparent alarm.

The chest was hoisted on board, and the two persons who had been taken from the junk were allowed to seat themselves on it, while Jack made a report to Murray of his visit to the junk.

"Her cargo," he observed, "appears to be of considerable value, and it would be a pity to lose it."

"We might get some of the most valuable portion out of her, but we must not spend time about it," remarked Murray. "From your account, even were we to take her in tow, she is not likely to keep above water. We can afterwards examine this suspicious gentleman and his wife, although I doubt whether we shall get much out of them."

"We are not likely to get much out of the junk either," said Jack, pointing at her. "Look there!"

As he spoke the junk, towards which the frigate was steering, was seen to lift her bows, and immediately afterwards a loud report was heard; her stern and after decks were blown into fragments, and in a few seconds she disappeared beneath the surface.

"Our friend there had no intention that we should make a further examination of the craft," observed Jack. "Depend upon it, he had taken effectual measures to prevent us from doing so after he had secured in his chest the most valuable property on board."

"We have no proof that he was instrumental in her destruction, though the circ.u.mstances are suspicious," said Murray. "He will of course tell us what he thinks fit as to the cause of her sudden foundering and the explosion on board, while we are prevented from making any further examination of the signs of a conflict, which you suppose must have taken place. We will, however, try to get some information out of the man."

A few fragments of wood floating on the surface was all that remained of the junk, as the frigate, now again put on her proper course, pa.s.sed over the spot where she had lately floated. Notwithstanding the suspicions which were entertained about Mr Jull, Captain Murray wishing to treat the man's wife with consideration, ordered a screen to be put up on the main-deck, where she might be in private and have the chest under her eye. He then sent for Mr Jull to come into the cabin, where he, with Jack and the first lieutenant, were seated.

Jonathan Jull persisted in the story he had given to Jack, stating that he had commanded an opium clipper, which had been cast away; and that he had simply taken a pa.s.sage with his wife on board the junk to go to Shanghai, where he expected to find other employment. He glibly announced the name of his craft, the _Swallow_, as well as the names of his officers, and was running on with those of his crew when he was stopped.

"That is not necessary at present," observed Captain Murray. But Mr Jull seemed to be anxious that there should be no suspicion resting on him. He next mentioned her tonnage and armament, and indeed everything about her.

"All very good," said Captain Murray; "but can you account for the signs of violence which we observed on board the junk--the stains of blood, the chipped beams, the bullets sticking in the bulkheads?"

Captain Jull, as he announced himself, looked very much astonished.

"You have observed, sir, what I failed to discover," he answered, "and I simply cannot account for the marks. If any violence occurred, it must have taken place before I went on board the junk. The crew appeared perfectly orderly, and only after the vessel had been dismasted, and they found her drifting away from the sh.o.r.e, did they take to their boats. For some reason, for which I cannot account, they refused to allow my wife and me to accompany them."

"Very well, Mr Jull; but can you account for the junk sinking so soon after you left her, and for the explosion?"

"She was leaking very much indeed, and probably a b.u.t.t suddenly gave way," answered Captain Jull. "In regard to the explosion, my wife had lit a fire in a stove aft, and I suppose a cask of gunpowder must inadvertently have been left in the neighbourhood. But this is merely conjecture. She herself will tell you that she lit the fire."