With Wolseley to Kumasi Part 23

"All walk aft," said d.i.c.k. "Now, Johnnie, reverse the engines, and give her more steam. When I whistle let every man give a jump into the air."

His orders were given in the lowest tones, and were carried out without confusion, for the British sailor hates fuss and flurry, and can be relied on to act well and discreetly in an emergency. All gathered aft, and as d.i.c.k whistled they jumped into the air, shaking the launch as they came to the deck again. But still she clung to her cradle of mud.

"Then some of us must get overboard. What is the depth?" asked d.i.c.k.

In the silence he could hear the two bluejackets grope for their poles, and plunge them into the water. Then one of them came to his side.

"About two feet of water, and three of mud," he said. "If we was to go over the side, we couldn't swim, and the mud would hold us. What about putting something at the end of the poles, sir? Something that wouldn't sink so easily. How'd a couple of kegs do?"

d.i.c.k thought for a moment. Then he went to the tiny cabin, and unmasking a lamp, peered closely at the stores. Thanks to the generosity of those in charge of the commissariat, a liberal supply of provisions of a mixed character had been handed over to the expedition, and amongst these stores were some kegs of biscuits. Our hero gave vent to a whistle.

"Bring the two poles down here," he said, as a head was thrust into the cabin. "And let all stand round, so as to hide the light should it show. Now, my lad, rip off the top of this keg."

One of the sailors had his cutla.s.s out in a moment, and soon contrived to get the lids off two of the kegs, and the contents were poured into an empty provision box.

"Now, how are we to make them fast?" asked d.i.c.k. "You ought to know better than I."

He looked at the sailors and waited their reply, while they stared at the kegs, uncertain how to act, for it is no easy matter to attach an article of this kind to the end of a pole.

"With a bit of rope and a good fire I'd do it in half an hour," said one of the men at length. "Yer see, by rights, sir, we ought to have a step at the bottom of the keg, and lash the end of a pole down on to it. But yer can't do that 'cause a step needs hammerin', and that 'ud warn the enemy if he's hereabouts. But we've a fire, and a stoking bar, and that 'ud make a fine drill. With a hole through the centre of the lid and the bottom, we could push the pole through, and take a turn of the rope round above and below the keg. That would keep all in place and ship-shape."

"Then we'll get to the engine," said d.i.c.k, promptly. "Bring the kegs and poles while I douse the light. Now, you men," he went on, as he came out on the deck, "stand round the engine well while we finish the job. Johnnie, get that bar heated."

Some twenty minutes later the four holes had been drilled, and the poles pushed through, and secured with rope. Then the two sailors took their station on the bows, while the remainder went aft. The propeller was reversed at full speed, while the kegs were placed against the mud bank, and the men holding the poles pushed with all their strength. d.i.c.k gave a low whistle, the men jumped, and this time with as gentle a motion as when she grounded, the launch left the bank and floated in the open water. Two hours later the boat was brought to a rest some miles up the river, and was pulled beneath an overhanging tree, where she lay till morning dawned.

"We have a fine place from which to keep watch, and we'll see whether we cannot make a catch," said d.i.c.k, as he and Jack Emmett sat down to breakfast. "How do you like the work, Jack?"

"It's fine," was the answer. "This is what I have been waiting for.

And the best part of it all is that we are our own masters, and can therefore enjoy all the more fun. Supposing an army came along, as happened in your case?"

"We should lie hidden; if they found us we should fight. No more running away for me, particularly when I have a crew like this. Hullo!

what's the report?"

One of the sailors had ascended the branches of the tree, from which post he could keep a watch on the river, and at this moment he whistled.

Then they saw him come swarming down to drop from a height of fully fifteen feet on to the deck of the launch. He alighted as easily as a cat and came aft to his commander.

"Beg pardon, sir," he said, as he saluted, "but there's a boat full of n.i.g.g.e.rs a-coming down-stream, and they're armed."

d.i.c.k was up in a moment, and taking care to move with the utmost caution he pushed the leaves aside and looked out. The report was accurate, for coming down-stream was a large native boat, with some ten men aboard, on whose shoulders muskets were slung. A glance showed him that some at least were Ashantis, while the others he was not sure about.

"They must be captured," he said with decision. "We will wait till they are quite close, and will rush out at them. If they fire, four of you give them a volley. That will be sufficient, for we want to make a capture."

It was an exciting moment for the men of the expedition. Not that they had anything to fear from the men aboard the native boat. But they were now well above Elmina, and who could say whether the enemy were not all round them? In any case they must be near at hand, so that the attack might very well be followed by a general onslaught on the part of the Ashantis.

d.i.c.k busied himself with telling off the men to their stations, while he bade Jack Emmett take the tiller and steer the launch. Presently the native boat drew opposite their hiding-place, and at once the boughs were parted and the launch shot out into the river. There was a shout from the enemy, and half a dozen dropped their paddles and opened a hot fire, their slugs whistling over the launch.

"That proves that they are enemies," said d.i.c.k, in tones of satisfaction. "Give them a volley, my lads."

It was high time to return the fire, for as he spoke another burst of flame had come from the boat, and three of the sailors were struck by the slugs. Not that that made much difference, for the hardy fellows did little more than grunt. There was a quick answering flash, and instantly four of the natives threw up their arms and toppled overboard.

"Put us at her hard!" shouted d.i.c.k, waving to Jack. "Now swing her round and bring us alongside. Keep under cover if you can, my lads, and give them a volley over their heads."

The whole manoeuvre scarcely took five minutes. In less time than it takes to tell, the launch had swung out into the stream, had headed for the enemy, and finally had run alongside, a second volley from the rifles of the seamen ripping the air over the heads of the natives. And that was sufficient. Within a second they had thrown down their arms and had grovelled on the floor of the boat.

"Get them all aboard here and lash their arms and legs," sang out d.i.c.k.

"That's the way. Smartly does it. Now dash a hole in their boat and let her sink. Turn the launch's head to the sea, Jack, and let us be going. Ah, there come the bullets."

There could be no doubt that there were more enemies at hand, and that the firing had attracted their attention, for hardly had three of the bluejackets tumbled aboard the native craft, while their comrades held the two boats together, when a gun bellowed from the low-lying forest on the opposite sh.o.r.e, and a bullet crashed into the stern of the launch.

"Jest look lively, me lad, will yer?" sang out one of the salts, as he gripped the shoulder of one of the grovelling enemy. "That's the sort.

Yer don't want to look at me as if I was about to eat yer, but jest hop aboard the launch."

He used the utmost politeness, while his grip closed about the native like a vice, and with such force that the wretch gave vent to a cry of terror. Then he was lifted bodily aboard the launch, where in spite of the slugs and bullets which were now falling about her, he and his companions were carefully and scientifically secured, Jack Tar not deigning to hasten because the enemy happened to be near at hand. Then one of the salts borrowed the stoking shovel from Johnnie, and in less than a minute the native boat had disappeared beneath the water.

Meanwhile the bush on one side of the river echoed to the shouts of the enemy, and the fire which had at first been spasmodic, now became furious, till the surface of the river was lashed with bullets and slugs.

"Lie down, men, and return their fire," sang out d.i.c.k. "Jack, sink into that well, and steer us to the far side. I fancy we shall be out of range there, and I have seen none of the enemy. We will make for the sea now, for we have got all that we want; at least, we have obtained nearly all. The rest I shall hope to have soon. That's the way, my lads, pepper them well."

He took a rifle and lay down beside the men, firing at the flashes which spurted from the bush. And thanks to their superior weapons, and the skill of the sailors, the shots of the enemy gradually subsided, bursting out here and there afresh as they were silenced in one particular spot. Then d.i.c.k whistled to his men to cease fire.

"We do not wish to kill more of them," he said, "and they cannot hurt us now. Let each of you stand beside one of the prisoners, and if you can impress him with your fierceness without really harming him, all the better."

There was a knowing grin on the faces of the men as they went to carry out their leader's commands; for they were beginning to grasp his meaning. And d.i.c.k, had he not been so serious, could have roared with laughter at the grimaces of the sailors, for they carried out his wishes to the letter till the captives writhed with terror. Meanwhile the launch, ignoring the continued fire of the enemy, kept to the far side of the river and steamed down to Elmina. Soon she pa.s.sed beneath the bridge, breasted the breakers, and was at sea again, a few gashes on her planks, and a handkerchief or two about the arms of the sailors alone showing that she had been in action; those, and the captives lying upon her deck.

"Now, Jack, we will suppose that you can speak and understand the Ashanti tongue as well as I can," said d.i.c.k, coolly, as he came aft to the well and sat down beside his friend. "We are about to interrogate the prisoners, and you will pa.s.s sentence upon them. At least, I shall say that you are here for that purpose, and you must act the part by looking very severe. We will have them up one by one, and abstract all their information. Two of the bluejackets can stand guard over each prisoner as he is brought, while the others will be kept out of hearing in the bows. Now, recollect, to get information, we must terrorise these men. I don't like to do so, but natives understand no other means of persuasion. If you offer gold they will lie and cheat you. Now, bring up the first of the prisoners."

It was an informal trial which was held at the stern of the launch and would have caused the laughter of any other group of men. But d.i.c.k and his command were bent on obtaining information, and if they could prove the proximity of the Ashantis, they would be doing an incalculable benefit to the commander of the British forces, for thereby he might be enabled to make a surprise attack, and gain a victory, a matter of great importance at this stage of the proceedings. And so, escorted by two of the bluejackets, with their rifles loaded, one of the captives was brought aft and halted just in front of our hero. He was a st.u.r.dy fellow, and now that two hours had pa.s.sed since his capture his fears were beginning to subside. He looked closely at the white officers whom he confronted, noted their youth and at once gained further confidence.

His head went up, he put on a defiant look and would have squatted there on the deck had it not been for the sailors.

"None of yer larks, me son," said one of them, giving the man a hitch which shot him to his feet. "Stand steady where you're put, or--"

There was a menace in the sailor's looks, and the rifle and cutla.s.s with which he was armed supported the threat. The native stood upright, looking perhaps a little disconcerted.

"Tell me how long you have been near Elmina, and how many of your comrades are there?" asked d.i.c.k, in the Ashanti tongue.

Astonishment was written on the man's face, and d.i.c.k noticed an expression of dismay. But it disappeared at once and the answer came glibly.

"I have been there a week. My comrades, all that remain, lie here on this deck. We were bringing our goods to Elmina."

"That is a lie," said d.i.c.k quietly, watching the man closely as he spoke. "You are an Ashanti. That I know for certain. Your comrades fired at us from the sh.o.r.e, and you were not carrying goods. Guns and swords formed your only cargo. Now, listen. You have news to give, and I require it. If you give it, you will be unharmed; if you lie, you will be killed. I will count my fingers over four times, and if at the end you have not spoken the truth you will be shot. That is the decision of my friend who sits beside me."

At once he began to count, while the native watched him, at first with looks of incredulity, and then with an expression of concern. Meanwhile there was tense silence amongst the group, save for the muttered words coming from d.i.c.k. He was nearing the end of his count, and as if to emphasise the fact, and at a nod from our hero, one of the sailors pulled back the lock of his rifle with a click. It was an ugly and an ominous sound, and in an instant it had the desired effect.

"I will speak, white chief," said the prisoner, hastily. "It is true that my comrades are up the river. How many I do not know, but there is an army. We have been there for weeks, and are starving. There is nothing more to tell."

d.i.c.k nodded curtly. "Take him into the cabin and see that he does not communicate with the others," he said. "Now, let us have another prisoner."

One by one the Ashanti prisoners were brought to the stern of the launch and interrogated, and the story told by all was precisely the same. The Ashantis were in force in the jungle lying within a few miles of Elmina and between that part and the river Pra. They had fraternised with the Elminas and other natives, nominally under our protection, and for the most part they were almost starving. They were awaiting the moment when they might attack the white men. There could be no doubt about the truth of their tale, for they had each said the same, and had had no time to concoct a story.

"We shall be welcome home again," said d.i.c.k, with a smile, as he rose from the well. "It is true that we have not yet gained information of the country beyond the Prahsu, but then there is plenty of time, for the troops who are to come out will not be here for some six weeks, and there are insufficient here now to make the march to k.u.masi. But there may be enough men for this expedition to Elmina. That will, of course, rest with Sir Garnet, but they say he is a dashing leader, and I fancy he will strike a blow. Full steam, Johnnie. The sooner we are back the better."