Dave Porter in the South Seas; or, The Strange Cruise of the Stormy Petrel
Page 33
CHAPTER XXX
THE RETAKING OF THE "STORMY PETREL"
For the whole of that day the natives kept at the sweeps of the longcanoe, one set of rowers relieving the other. The whites were willing toassist, but Soko said the natives could get along best alone, theyhaving their own peculiar manner of handling the craft.
The weather remained fair, with only a bit of a breeze blowing, and thebosom of the ocean was as calm as they could wish. They were soon out ofsight of the island, and then all they could behold was the sky aboveand the sparkling waters on every side.
"It must be terrible to be lost on the ocean," remarked Phil, as hegazed around. "I don't wonder that men go mad, after they have been outdays and days."
"And think of having nothing to eat or to drink," said Dave. "Ugh! itgives a fellow the shivers to think of it!"
At noon the whole party partook of a lunch, and toward nightfall hadsupper. Then the whites went to sleep, and so did half of the natives,the remaining blacks keeping at the sweeps, guiding themselves by thestars, now that the sun had gone down.
When the boys awoke they were dismayed to see that a mist covered thesea.
"Hello! I didn't expect this!" cried the senator's son. "Why, a fellowcan't see a hundred feet in any direction."
"What are the natives going to do now?" asked Dave of Captain Marshall,who had been awake for some time.
"Soko says they must rest and wait," answered the captain. "He cannot goahead, for he knows not in what direction to steer."
"I've got a pocket compass!" cried Phil, bringing it forth. "How oddthat I didn't think of it before."
The captain took the compass and showed it to the native who could speakEnglish. He had seen such things before, and, after a short talk withthe master of the _Stormy Petrel_, set the others to using the sweeps asbefore.
It was about ten o'clock of the forenoon that one of the natives, whowas watching in the bow, uttered a short cry. At once those at thesweeps stopped pulling.
"What is it?" asked Captain Marshall, quickly.
"Big ship over dare!" announced Soko, a moment later.
All of the whites looked in the direction pointed out, and through themist saw a large vessel drifting along, the sails flapping idly againstthe masts. The wheel was lashed fast, and nobody was in sight on thedeck.
"The _Stormy Petrel_!" ejaculated Captain Marshall.
"Are you sure?" asked Dave and Phil, in a breath.
"Sure it's the bark," cried Billy Dill. "Say, but this is great luck,ain't it?" and his face brightened up. "Now we can teach them dirtymutineers a lesson."
"Dat you ship?" asked Soko.
"It is," answered Captain Marshall. "See here, Soko," he went on, "can Idepend upon your helping me? I will pay you and your men for whateveryou do."
The native shugged his ebony shoulders and then consulted with hisfellow-tribesmen. All decided that they would aid the captain, providinghe would give them each a piece of silver "so big," pointing out thesize of a trade dollar. Captain Marshall agreed on the spot, andpreparations were made for boarding the bark.
"It is queer that nobody is in sight!" remarked Phil, as the canoe drewcloser.
"Somebody is coming on deck now!" cried Dave, in a low tone, and PaulShepley appeared, followed by Jasper Van Blott and, close behind him,one of the sailors.
"Hello! what's this?" sang out the first mate, on catching sight of thecanoe.
"Captain Marshall and the others!" muttered the former supercargo. "Hi!keep away from here!" he roared.
"Surrender, you villains!" called out the captain. "What do you mean byrunning off with my ship in this fashion?"
"You keep off!" warned Paul Shepley, without answering the question."Keep off, I tell you!"
"We'll fire on you, if you don't keep off," called the formersupercargo, and he brought forth a big pistol.
"Be careful, cap'n, or somebody will git shot!" whispered Billy Dill."Those fellers look like they was des'prit!"
"Don't you dare to shoot!" called out Captain Marshall. "The first manwho fires shall swing from the yardarm!"
The loud talking had brought several sailors to the deck, and they werefollowed by the second mate, who stared at the canoe and its occupantsas if he could not believe his eyes.
"Hello, Captain Marshall!" sang out Bob Sanders. "I am mighty glad youhave come."
"Then you are not in this mutiny, Sanders?"
"Not by a jugful! They tried to buy me up, but I wouldn't consent.Podders, Diski, and McNabb are not in it, either."
"I am glad to hear it. Sanders, take control of the ship until I getaboard."
"He will do nothing of the kind!" yelled Jasper Van Blott, and was aboutto turn on the second mate, when the latter hit him a blow in the ear,sending him headlong to the deck.
"McNabb! Podders!" called the second mate. "Grab Mr. Shepley!"
The sailors called upon understood, and before the first mate couldturn, one tar had him from behind, so that he could not raise his arms.Then the other seized a pistol and, turning, faced the crew with theweapon.
The turn of affairs had been so sudden that Shepley and Van Blott weretaken completely by surprise, as were likewise the sailors who had sidedwith the rascals, and, for the moment, none of them knew exactly what todo. In the meantime the canoe bumped alongside of the _Stormy Petrel_,and, catching hold of a trailing rope thrown overboard by the sailornamed Diski, Captain Marshall hauled himself to the deck, followed byBilly Dill and the boys.
"Do you surrender?" demanded the captain, striding up to the first mate,revolver in hand.
"Ye-yes!" burst out Shepley. "It's--it's all a mistake, CaptainMarshall--all a mistake!"
"I reckon it was!" answered the captain, grimly. "What about you, VanBlott?" And he turned on the former supercargo, who was struggling tohis feet.
"I suppose I've got to give in," muttered Jasper Van Blott.
"And what about you men?" demanded Captain Marshall, turning his sterneyes on the portion of the crew that had mutinied.
"We're with you, cap'n," said one, humbly. "Mr. Shepley led us intothis, without us knowin' what we was a-doin'. Ain't that so, mates?"
"That's so," said the others, humbly.
"Are you willing to obey me, after this?"
"Yes! yes!" came in an eager chorus.
After this a long talk took place, and Jasper Van Blott and Paul Shepleywere placed in irons and conducted to a closet in the bow of the ship,used for the storage of oil and lanterns. The place was given a roughcleaning, and then the pair were locked inside, Captain Marshall puttingthe key in his pocket. Both of the prisoners wanted to protest, but themaster of the _Stormy Petrel_ would not listen.
"You can do your talking later, when I have time to listen," said he."Just now I have other matters to attend to."
From Bob Sanders and the three loyal sailors Captain Marshall got afairly accurate account of the mutiny. He was told that Jasper VanBlott had done his best to get all hands to join in the plot. The formersupercargo was the prime mover in the affair, and the first mate was acoward and had been little more than his tool. The sailors who had gonein had done so rather unwillingly, and, after thinking the matter over,Captain Marshall decided to read them a stern lecture and then forgivethem.
It was now no longer necessary for the natives to take the whites toSobago Island, and, after a brief consultation, Soko and his men werepaid off and given some presents, and then, the mists rising, the canoewas headed back for Yam-kolo Island. It was the last that Dave and hisfriends saw of these black men, who had proven so friendly.
With the first mate in irons, Bob Sanders was advanced to fill hisplace. This left the position of second mate vacant, and, after aconsultation with the boys, the master of the _Stormy Petrel_ offeredBilly Dill the position, and he accepted gladly.
"I always kind o' wanted to be a mate," said the old tar. "I'm tickledto death!" And his face showed it.
With the lifting of the mist a stiff breeze came up,
and preparationswere made for continuing the voyage to Nanpi. It was found that the laststorm had slightly disabled the rudder, which accounted for the factthat the bark had not made greater headway on her trip. But additionalparts were on board, and by nightfall the damage was made good, and thenthe _Stormy Petrel_ answered her helm as well as ever.
"And now for Sobago Island!" cried Dave, to his chums. "I hope I have nomore trouble in finding Mr. Dunston Porter!"