The Island Queen

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER SEVEN.

  TREATS OF BIG ISLAND--A GREAT FIGHT AND A ROYAL FAMILY.

  "Dominick," said Otto, next morning, after having solemnly and somewhatmysteriously led his brother to the old burial-ground, "would youbelieve me if I told you that last night, when you and the like of youwere sound asleep, not to say snoring, I saw some twenty or thirty menfly from this spot like maniacs at the howling of a ghost?"

  "No, I would not believe you," answered Dominick, with a bland smile.

  "Would you not believe me if I told you that _I_ was the ghost and thatHugh Morris was the ringleader of the cowards?"

  "Come, Otto, be sensible and explain."

  Otto became sensible and explained. Thereupon Dominick became serious,and said "Oho!" To which Otto replied "Just so," after which theybecame meditative. Then Dominick linked his arm in that of his littlebrother, and, leading him off to a well-known and sequestered walk,entered into an earnest confabulation.

  With the details of that confabulation we will not trouble the reader.We will only repeat the concluding sentences.

  "Well, then, Dom, it's agreed on, that we are to go on as if we knewnothing about this matter, and take no notice of it whatever to anyone--not even to Pina."

  "Yes, Otto, that's it. Of course I don't like to have any sort ofsecret from Pina, but it would be cruel in us to fill her mind withalarm for no good purpose. No--mum's the word. Take no noticewhatever. Morris may repent. Give him the benefit of the doubt, or thehope."

  "Very well, Dom, mum shall be the word."

  Having thus for the time being disposed of a troublesome subject, thebrothers returned to the place where the emigrants were encamped.

  Here all was wild confusion and harmony. Lest this should appearcontradictory, we must explain that the confusion was only physical, andaddressed to the eye. The emigrants, who were busy as ants, had alreadydisembarked large quantities of their goods, which were scattered aboutin various heaps between the landing-place and the encampment. Theharmony, on the other hand, was mental and spiritual, for as yet therehad been no time for conflicting interests to arise, and the people wereall so busy that they had not leisure to disagree.

  Besides, the weather being splendidly bright and warm was conducive togood-humour. It will be remembered also that Hugh Morris and hisfriends had resolved to remain quiet for the present. Perhaps theeffect of the ghostly visitation might have had some influence inrestraining their turbulent spirits.

  At all events, be this as it may, when Dominick and Otto came upon thescene everything was progressing pleasantly. The male emigrants wererunning between the beach and the camp with heavy burdens on theirshoulders. The females were busy washing and mending garments, whichstood sorely in need of their attention, or tending the sick and whatOtto styled the infantry. The sailors were engaged, some intransporting goods from the wreck to the shore, others in piloting twoof the large boats through the reef into the lagoon, and the largerchildren were romping joyously in the thickets and trying to climb thecocoa-nut trees, while the smaller fry were rolling helplessly on thesands--watched, more or less, by mothers and big sisters.

  Chief among those who piloted the large boats through the passage in thereef was Hugh Morris. He took careful observations and soundings as hewent along, not that such were needed for the safety of the boats, butHugh Morris had an eye to the ultimate destiny of the ship.

  "You're mighty particular, Morris," said Malines, with something of asneer in his tone, when the former drew up his boat inside the reefbeside the other boat. "One would think you were piloting a man-of-warthrough instead of a little boat."

  "What I was doin' is none o' your business, Malines," returned Hugh,sternly. "Your command ceased when you lost your ship, and I ain'tagoin' to obey your orders; no, nor take any of your cheek."

  "The emigrants chose to accept me as their commander, at least for thepresent," retorted Malines, fiercely.

  To this Hugh replied, with a laugh of scorn, that the emigrants mightmake a commander of the ship's monkey for all that he cared, theemigrants were not _his_ masters, and he would do exactly as he pleased.

  As a number of his followers echoed the scornful laugh, Malines feltthat he had not the power to carry things with a high hand.

  "Well, well," he returned, in a tone of quiet indifference, "we shallsee. It is quite clear to every one with a grain of sense that peoplecan't live comfortably under two masters; the people will have to decidethat matter for themselves before long."

  "Ay, that will they, master," remarked Joe Binney, in a low butsignificant voice. "Seems to me, however, that as we're all agreedabout goin' over to Big Island, we'd better go about it an' leavedisputation till afterwards."

  Agreeing to this in silence, the men set about loading the boats for thefirst trip.

  Dominick and Otto, standing on the beach, had witnessed thisaltercation.

  "The seeds of much dissension and future trouble are there," remarkedthe former.

  "Unless we prevent the growth of the seed," said Otto.

  "True, but how that is to be done does not appear obvious at present.These men have strong wills and powerful frames, and each has a largefollowing, I can see that. We must hope that among the emigrants theremay be good and strong men enough to keep the crew in check."

  "Luckily two of the biggest and stoutest are also the most sensible,"said Otto.

  "You mean the brothers Binney?"

  "Yes, Dom. They're first-rate men, don't you think so?"

  "Undoubtedly; but very ignorant, and evidently unaccustomed to lead orcommand men."

  "What a pity," exclaimed the boy, with a flush of sudden inspiration,"that we couldn't make you king of the island! You're nearly as strongas the best of them, and much cleverer."

  Dominick received this compliment with a laugh and a shake of the head.

  "No, my boy; I am not nearly as strong as Malines or Morris, or theBinneys. Besides, you forget that `the race is not always to the swift,nor the battle to the strong,' and as to cleverness, that does notconsist in a superior education or a head crammed full of knowledge, butin the right and ready application of knowledge. No; I have no ambitionto be a king. But it won't do for us to stand here talking, else weshall be set down as idlers. Come, let us lend a helping hand."

  While the men were busy at the boats on the lagoon side of the reef,Pauline was winning golden opinions among the women at the camp by thehearty, unaffected way in which she went about making herself generallyuseful. O blessed simplicity, how adorable art thou in man and woman!Self-forgetfulness was a salient point in Pauline's character, and,being conjoined with strong powers of sympathy, active good-will to manand beast, and more than the average of intellectual capacity, with anunder-current of rippling fun, the girl's influence quickly made itselffelt.

  Mrs Lynch said she was a jewel, and that was extraordinary praise fromthe strapping widow, who seldom complimented her sex, whatever she mayhave felt. Mrs Welsh said she was a "dear, pritty creetur'," andlaughter-loving little Mrs Nobbs, the wife of a jovial harum-scarumblacksmith, pronounced her a "perfect darling." As for the children,after one hour's acquaintance they adored her, and would have "bored herto death" had that been possible. What the men thought of her we cannottell, for they spake not, but furtively stared at her in a sort ofreverential amazement, and some of them, in a state of mild enthusiasm,gave murmured utterance to the sentence quoted above, "Blessedsimplicity!" for Pauline Rigonda was, at first, utterly unaware of thesensation she created.

  When the two boats were loaded down to the gunwales, a select party ofmen embarked and rowed them over the calm lagoon to Big Island. Ofcourse they were well armed, for no one could tell what they might meetwith there. Dominick and Otto were of the party, and, being regarded insome measure as owners of the soil, the former was tacitly recognised asleader on this their first visit.

  The distance they had to row was not more than a quarter of a mile, sothe lagoon was soon cross
ed. The spot at which they landed was abeautiful little bay with bush-topped cliffs on one side, a thicket ofluxuriant plants on the other, and palm groves rising to a moderateheight behind. The little beach on which they ran the boats was of purewhite sand, which induced one of them to name it Silver Bay.

  Jumping out, Dominick, with a dozen armed men, advanced into the busheswith caution.

  "Nothing to be seen here of either friends or foes," he said, halting."I felt sure that we should find no one, and it is of no use taking somany of you from work; therefore, lads, I would advise your returning tothe boats and going to work at once. My little brother and I willascend to the top of the cliff there, from which we will be able to seeall the neighbouring country, and give you timely warning should anynatives appear. Pile your rifles on the beach, so as to have themhandy; but you've nothing to fear."

  In a few minutes Dominick and his brother, each carrying a rifle andcutlass supplied by the wrecked party, had mounted to the top of theneighbouring cliff, while the men returned to aid in unloading theboats.

  "What a splendid island!" exclaimed Otto, with intense delight, as, fromthe lofty outlook, they gazed down upon a scene of the richest beauty.From their position on the reef they had hitherto seen the islandthrough the softening atmosphere of distance, like a rounded mass ofverdure; but in this case distance had _not_ "lent enchantment to theview," for, now that they beheld it spread in all its luxuriance attheir feet, like a verdant gem resting on the breast of ocean, itappeared infinitely more beautiful. Not only was the mind charmed bythe varied details of grove and bay, thicket and grotto, but the eye wasattracted irresistibly to the magnificent trees and shrubs which stoodprominent in their individuality--such as the light and elegantaito-tree; the stately apape, with its branchless trunk and light crownof pale green leaves, resembling those of the English ash; the splendidtamanu, an evergreen, with its laurel-shaped leaves; the imposinghutu-tree, with foliage resembling the magnolia and its large whiteflowers, the petals of which are edged with bright pink;--these and manyothers, with the feathery palm and several kinds of mimosa lining theseashore, presented a display of form and colour such as the brothershad not up to that time even dreamed of.

  While Otto gazed in silent wonder and admiration, he was surprised tohear Dominick give vent to a sigh, and shake his head.

  "Dom!" he said, remonstratively, "what do you mean by that?"

  "I mean that the place is such a paradise that the emigrants won't wantto leave it, and that will interfere with a little plan which had begunto form itself in my brain of late. I had been thinking that among somany tradesmen I should find men to help me to break up the wreck, and,out of the materials, to build a small vessel, with which to leave theisland--for, to tell you the truth, Otto, I have begun to fear that thisplace lies so far out of the track of ships that we may be left on itfor many years like the mutineers of Pitcairn Island."

  "Humph! I'm sorry you're growing tired of it already," said Otto; "Ithought you had more o' the spirit of Robinson Crusoe in you, Dom, and Inever heard of the mutineers of Pitcairn Island; but if--"

  "What! did you never hear of the mutineers of the _Bounty_?"

  "Never. My education, you know, has been neglected."

  "Then I'll tell you the story some time or other. It's too long tobegin just now, but it beats that of your favourite Robinson out ofsight in my opinion."

  Otto shook his head in grave unbelief. "That," he said, "is impossible.But as to this island proving so attractive, don't you think that suchfellows as Hugh Morris and Malines will take care to prevent it becomingtoo much of a paradise?"

  Dominick laughingly admitted that there was something in that--and hewas right. There was even more in that than he had imagined, for theparty had not been a week in their new home when they began to differ asto the division of the island. That old, old story of mighty mendesiring to take possession of the land and push their weaker brethrento the wall soon began to be re-enacted on this gem of the ocean, andbade fair to convert the paradise--like the celebrated Monte Carlo--intoa magnificent pandemonium.

  At one of their stormy meetings, of which the settlers had many, thebrothers Binney and Dominick were present. It was held on the shores ofSilver Bay, where the first boat-loads had been discharged, and aroundwhich quite a village of rude huts had sprung up like mushrooms. Fromthose disputatious assemblies most of the women absented themselves, butthe widow Lynch always remained, holding herself in reserve for anyemergency, for she was well aware that her opinion carried much weightwith many of the party.

  "We're a rough lot, and would need tight handlin'," whispered the littleman named Redding to Joe Binney, who sat on a bank beside him.

  "The handlin' will be tight enough before long," returned Joe, with adecided little nod. "Listen, the worst o' the lot's agoin' to spout."

  This last remark had reference to Malines, who had just risen to replyto a fiery little man named Buxley, a tailor by trade, who was possessednot only of good reasoning power but great animal courage, as he hadproved on more than one occasion on the voyage out.

  "Friends," said the mate, "it's all very well for Buxley to talk aboutfair play, and equal rights, etcetera, but, I ask, would it be fair playto give each of us an equal portion of land, when it's quite clear thatsome--like Joe Binney there--could cultivate twice as much as his share,while a creature like Buxley--"

  "No more a creature than yourself!" shouted the little tailor.

  "Could only work up half his lot--if even so much," continued the mate,regardless of the interruption.

  "Hear, hear!" from those who sympathised with Malines.

  "An' what could _you_ do with land?" demanded Buxley in a tone of scorn,"a man that's ploughed nothing but salt water all his life."

  This was greeted with a laugh and "That's so." "He's only sowed wildoats as yet." "Pitch into him, Buckie."

  Malines was fast losing temper under the little man's caustic remarks,but succeeded in restraining himself, and went on:--

  "It's quite plain that the island is too small to let every man have anequal bit of land, so I propose that it should be divided among thosewho have strength and knowledge to work it, and--"

  "_You_ ain't one o' them," shouted the irate tailor.

  "Come, come, Buxley--let him speak," said Joe Binney, "fair play, yeknow. That's what you sticks up for, ain't it? Let 'im speak."

  "Anyhow," continued Malines, sharply, "_I_ mean to keep the bit o'ground I've staked off whether you like it or no--"

  "An' so do I," cried Welsh, who was what may be styled a growly man.

  "Sure, an' so does myself," said Teddy Malone, "for I've staked off abit about six feet long an' two broad, to plant mesilf in whin I give upthe ghost."

  This mild pleasantry seemed to calm a little the rising wrath ofcontending parties, much to Dominick's satisfaction, for he wasexceedingly anxious to keep in the background and avoid interference.During the week that had passed, he had more than once been forced tohave sharp words with Malines, and felt that if he was to act as apeacemaker--which he earnestly wished to do--he must avoid quarrellingwith him if possible.

  The hopes of those who wished to settle matters amicably, however, weredashed by the fiery tailor, who, still smarting under the contemptuoustones and words of the mate, suddenly sprang to his feet and suggestedthat, as Malines knew nothing about agriculture, no land at all shouldbe apportioned to him, but that he should be set to fishing, or somesuch dirty work, for the benefit of the community.

  This was too much for Malines, who strode towards Buxley with clenchedfists and furious looks, evidently intending to knock him down. To thesurprise and amusement of every one, Buxley threw himself into apugilistic attitude, and shouted defiantly, "Come on!" There is nosaying how the thing would have ended, if Dominick had not quicklyinterposed.

  "Come, Mr Malines," he said, "it is not very creditable in you tothreaten a man so very much smaller than yourself."

  "Out of my road," s
houted the mate, fiercely, "we don't want _gentlemen_to lord it over us."

  "No, nor yet _blackguards_," growled a voice in the crowd.

  This so angered Malines, that he dealt Dominick a sounding slap on thecheek.

  For a moment there was dead silence, as the two men glared at eachother. If it had been a blow the youth might have stood it better, butthere was something so stinging, as well as insulting, in a slap, thatfor a moment he felt as if his chest would explode. Before he couldact, however, Joe Binney thrust his bulky form between the men.

  "Leave'm to me, master," he said, quietly turning up his wristbands,"I'm used to this sort o' thing, an'--"

  "No, no," said Dominick, in a deep, decided voice, "listen."

  He grasped Joe by the arm, and whispered a few words in his ear. Asmile broke over the man's face, and he shook his head doubtfully.

  "Well, it may be so," he remarked, "an' no doubt it would have a goodeffect."

  "Now, then, stand aside," said Dominick, as he retreated a few paces andthrew off his coat, while Malines still stood in a threatening attitude,with an expression of contempt on his face. "My friends," he said, ashe slowly rolled up his shirt-sleeves, showing a pair of arms which,although not bulky, displayed an amount of sinews and muscle that wassuggestive of knotted ropes under a fair skin--

  "My friends," he said, "somewhere in the Bible it is written, `Smite ascorner, and the simple will beware.' I have done my best to conciliate_this_ scorner without success; I shall now try to smite him."

  "An' brother David an' me will see fair play," remarked Joe Binney.

  If the combatants had been more equally matched, the spectators wouldprobably have encouraged Dominick with a cheer, but the difference insize was so apparent, that astonishment kept them silent. Dominick wasindeed fully as tall as his opponent, and his shoulders were nearly asbroad, but the massive weight of Malines's figure seemed to render thechance of Dominick's success highly improbable.

  The youth sprang at him, however, like lightning, and, hitting him aviolent blow on the forehead, leapt back out of his reach.

  The blow had the effect that was intended; it roused the mate's wrath tothe utmost pitch, causing him to rush at his opponent, striking rightand left with all his force. Dominick, however, leapt about with suchactivity, that only a few of the blows reached him, and these not withtheir full force. The result was that the mate became what is styledwinded in a few minutes, and was compelled to pause to recover himself,but Dominick had no intention of allowing him time to recover himself.Without a moment's hesitation, he sprang in again and planted a severeleft-hander between his opponent's eyes. This roused the mate once moreto white heat, and he sought to close with his foe, but the latterprevented that by leaping aside, tripping him up, and causing him toplunge forward on his hands and knees--assisting him to that positionwith a stiff rap on the right temple as he passed.

  Then it was that Malines discovered that he had drawn on himself thewrath of one who had been the champion boxer in a large public school,and was quite as tough as himself in wind and limb, though not so strongor so heavy.

  Now, it is not our intention to give a graphic account of thatpugilistic encounter. Yet is it needful to point out briefly how, beinga man of peace, as well as a man of science, Dominick managed to bringthis fight to as speedy a close as possible. Instead, then, of strikinghis foe in all directions, and producing a disgusting scene ofbloodshed, he confined his practice chiefly to one spot, between theeyes, close above the bridge of the nose--varying it a little with ashot now and then under each eye. This had the effect, owing toconstant repetition, of gradually shutting up both Malines's eyes sothat he could not easily see. When in this condition, Dominick suddenlydelivered first a left and then a right hander into what is sometimescalled the breadbasket, and stretched his adversary on the sand.

  Dominick was not boastful or ungenerous. He did not crow over hisfallen foe. On the contrary, he offered to assist that smitten scornerto rise, but Malines preferred in the meantime to lie still.

  It is scarcely necessary to say that the emigrants watched this shortbut sharp encounter with keen interest, and when it was ended gave ventto a cheer, in which surprise was quite as clearly expressed assatisfaction.

  "Now, I tell 'ee what it is, lads," said Joe Binney, striking his greatright fist into the palm of his left hand enthusiastically, "I neverseed the likes o' that since I was a leetle booy, and I've got a motionfor to propose, as they say at meetin's. It's this, that we makesMaster Dom'nik Riggundy capting over us all."

  Up started Teddy Malone, with a slap of his thigh. "And it's mesilfas'll second that motion--only we should make him governor of the wholeisland, if not king!"

  "Hear! hear!" shouted a decided majority of the party. "Let him beking!"

  When silence had been partially restored Dominick politely but firmlydeclined the honour, giving it as his opinion that the fairest way wouldbe to have a republic.

  "A republic! No; what we wants is a despotism," said David Binney, whohad up to this point remained silent, "a regular despot--a howtocrat--iswhat we wants to keep us in order."

  "Hump!" exclaimed Hugh Morris, contemptuously, "if you'd on'y letMalines have his way you'd soon have a despot an' a howtocrat as 'udkeep yer noses to the grindstone."

  "Mrs Lynch," whispered Otto, who had hitherto stood beside the widowwatching the proceedings with inexpressible glee, "you get up an'propose that Pina should be _queen_!"

  That this suggestion came upon the widow with a shock of surprise, aswell as approval, was obvious from the wide-eyed stare, with which for amoment she regarded the boy, and from her subsequent action. Taking abold and masculine stride to the front of the disputers, she turnedabout and faced them.

  "Howld yer tongues now, boys, all of you, and listen to what yourgrandmother's got to say."

  A shout of laughter cut her short for a few seconds.

  "That's right, old 'ooman, out with it."

  "Sure, if ye'd stop your noise I'd out wid it fast enough. Now, then,here ye are, nivver a man of ye able to agree wid the others; an' theraisin's not far to seek--for yer all wrong togither. It would nivverdo to make wan o' you a king--not even Joe here, for he knows nixt tonothin', nor yet Mister Rig Gundy, though he can fight like a man, forit's not a king's business to fight. No, take my word for it; what yewant is a _queen_--"

  A loud explosion of mirth drowned the rest. "Hurrah! for Queen Lynch,"cried one. "The Royal blood of owld Ireland for ivver!" shouted Malone.

  "I wouldn't," said the widow indignantly, "condescind to reign oversitch a nation o' pigs, av ye was to go down on yer bare knees an'scrape them to the bone. No, it's English blood, or Spanitch, I don'trightly know which, that I'm drivin' at, for where could ye find abetter, or honester, or purtier queen than that swate creetur, MissPauline Rig Gundy?"

  The idea seemed to break upon the assembly as a light in a dark place.For a moment they seemed struck dumb; then there burst forth such acheer as showed that the greater part of those present sympathisedheartily with the proposal.

  "I know'd ye'd agree to it. Sure, men always does when a sensible womanspakes. You see, Queen Pauline the First--"

  "Hurrah! for Queen Pauline the First," yelled the settlers, with mingledcheers and laughter.

  "Queen Pauline the First, ye may be sure," continued the widow, "wouldnivver try to kape order wid her fists, nor yit wid shoutin' orswearin'. An' then, av coorse, it would be aisy to make Mister Duminickor Joe Binney Prime Minister, an' little Buxley Chancler o' theCheckers, or whatever they calls it. Now, think over it, boys, an' goodluck be wid ye."

  They did think over it, then and there, in real earnest, and thepossibility of an innocent, sensible, gentle, just, sympathetic, andhigh-minded queen reigning over them proved so captivating to theserough fellows, that the idea which had been at first received in jestcrystallised into a serious purpose. At this point Otto ventured toraise his voice in this first deliberation of the embry
o State.

  "Friends," he said, with an air of modesty, which, we fear, was foreignto his nature, "although I can only appear before you as a boy, my bigbrother has this day proved himself to be so much more than an ordinaryman that I feel somehow as if I had a right to his surplus manhood,being next-of-kin, and therefore I venture to address you as a sort ofman." (Hear, hear!) "I merely wish to ask a question. May I ask to bethe bearer of the news of this assembly's determination to--the--the_Queen_?"

  "Yes--yes--of course--av course," were the immediate replies.

  Otto waited not for more, but sped to their new hut, in which the Queenwas busy preparing dinner at the time.

  "Pina," exclaimed the boy, bursting in, "will you consent to be theQueen of Big Island?"

  "Come, Otto; don't talk nonsense. I hope Dom is with you. Dinner ismuch overdone already."

  "No, but I'm not talking nonsense," cried Otto. "I say, will youconsent to be a queen--a _real_ queen--Pina the First, eh?"

  Hereupon he gave his wondering sister a graphic account of the recentmeeting, and fight, and final decision.

  "But they don't really mean it, you know," said Pauline, laughing.

  "But they do really mean it," returned Otto; "and, by the way, if _you_become a queen won't that necessarily make me and Dom princes?"

  As Dominick entered the hut at that moment he joined in the laugh whichthis question created, and corroborated his brother's statement.

  In this cheerful frame of mind the new Royal Family sat down to dinner.