The Battery and the Boiler: Adventures in Laying of Submarine Electric Cables

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

  STRANGE DISCOVERIES ON PIRATE ISLAND.

  On reaching the first rising-ground that lay before them, Robin and hisfriend received a great disappointment, for, instead of a richly woodedcountry, which the coast scenery where they landed had led them toexpect, they found an exceedingly barren region, as far, at least, asthe next ridge in advance.

  "No use to go further," said Sam, despondingly; "nothing but barrenrocks and a few scrubby bushes here. Evidently there are noinhabitants, for it would be almost impossible to live on such a place."

  "But it may be better further inland," said Robin. "I can't think thatthe pirates would come here for nothing. At all events let us go to thenext ridge."

  Without replying, Sam followed Robin, but the next ridge revealednothing more hopeful. Indeed the prospect thence was, if possible, moredepressing, for it was seen that the island was small, that its sideswere so steep all round, as far as the eye could reach, that there wasapparently no landing-place except at the spot where they had beendriven on shore. The elevated interior seemed as barren as thecircumference, and no neighbouring island was to be seen in all the widefield of vision. The only living creatures visible were innumerablesea-birds which circled round the cliffs, and which, on espying theintruders, came clamouring overhead, as if to order them angrily away.

  "Having come thus far we may as well go to the top and have a look allround," said Robin, "and see--here is something like a track worn on therock." Sam's drooping spirits revived at once. He examined the trackcarefully and pronounced it a "human" track. "The sea-gulls could notmake it, Robin. Goats, sheep, and cows cannot live without grass,therefore it was not made by them. A track is not usually worn on hardrock by the passage of pirates only once or twice over them. There ismystery here, Robin. Come on!"

  It will be observed that Robin's spirit was more hopeful than that ofhis friend, nevertheless Sam being physically more energetic, was, whennot depressed, prone to take the lead. He walked smartly forwardtherefore, followed humbly by his friend, and they soon reached whatproved to be the summit of the island.

  Here supreme astonishment was the chief ingredient in their feelings,for they stood on the edge of a slope, at the foot of which, as in abasin, lay what seemed to be a small cultivated garden in the midst of aminiature valley covered with trees and shrubs, through which a tinyrivulet ran. This verdant little gem was so hemmed in by hills that itcould not be seen from the sea or any low part of the island. But whatsurprised the discoverers most was the sight of an old woman, bentnearly double, who was busily at work in the garden. Not far from herwas an old man, who, from his motions while at work, appeared to beblind. Their costume being nondescript, besides ragged, did not betokentheir nationality.

  Sam and Robin glanced at each other in silence, then turned to haveanother gaze at the scene.

  "We've found," said Sam, slowly and impressively, "a robber's nest!"

  "D'you think so, Sam?"

  "Think so! I'm sure of it. Just think. There is nothing on such anisland as this to attract any one at all--much less robbers or pirates--except the fact that it _is_ unattractive, and, apparently, far removedfrom the haunts of honest men. Depend upon it, Robin, that the pirateswhom we saw have made this their head-quarters and place of deposit fortheir booty--their bank as it were, for it's too small for their home;besides, if it were such, we should see a colony of women and children.No--this is the great Pirate Bank of the Southern Seas, and yonder webehold the secretary and cashier!"

  "And what," said Robin with a laugh, "if there should be a few clerks inthe bank? We might perhaps find them troublesome fellows to deal with."

  "We might, Robin. Would it not be wise to return and let Slagg andStumps know what we have discovered, and take counsel together before weact."

  "Agreed," said Robin. "Isn't it strange though," he added, as theyturned to retrace their steps, "that there are no buildings of anykind--only a little garden."

  "It is somewhat puzzling, I confess, but we shall--"

  He stopped abruptly, and stood rooted to the ground, for there, on arock in front of him, with her light, graceful figure, and flowinggolden hair, pictured against the blue sky, stood a little girl,apparently about six or seven years of age--an angel as it seemed to theamazed youths!

  She had caught sight of the strangers at the very moment they hadobserved her, and stood gazing at them with a half eager, half terrifiedlook in her large lustrous eyes.

  With a sudden and irresistible impulse Robin extended his arms towardsher. She made a little run towards him, then stopped, and the look offear again came over her beautiful face. Robin was afraid to advancelest he should frighten her. So, with an earnest look and smile, hesaid, "Come here, little one."

  She answered the invitation by bounding towards our hero and claspinghim round the neck, causing him to sit down rather abruptly on a rockwhich lay conveniently behind.

  "Oh! I'm so glad you've come at last!" said the child, in English sogood that there could be no question as to her nationality. "I wasquite sure mamma would send to fetch me away from this tiresome place,but you've been so long of coming--so very _very_ long."

  The thought of this, and perhaps the joy of being "sent for" at last,caused her to sob and bury her face in Robin's sympathetic bosom.

  "Cheer up, little one, and don't cry," said Robin, passing his hand overher sunny hair, "your Father, at all events, has sent for you, if notyour mother."

  "I have no father," said the child, looking up quickly.

  "Yes you have, little one; God is your father."

  "Did _He_ send you to fetch me?" she asked in surprise.

  "I have not the smallest doubt," answered Robin, "that He sent us totake care of you, and take you to your mother if that be possible. Buttell me, little one, what is your name?"

  "Letta."

  "And your surname?"

  "My what!" exclaimed Letta, opening her large eyes to their widest,causing both Sam and Robin to laugh.

  "Your other name, dear," said Sam.

  "I have no other name. Mamma always called me Letta--nothing else."

  "And what was mamma's name?" asked Robin.

  "It was mamma, of course," replied Letta, with a look of wonder that sosilly a question should be asked.

  Sam and Robin exchanged looks, and the former shook his head. "You'llnot get much information out of her, I fear. Ask her about thepirates," he whispered.

  "Letta," said Robin, settling the child more comfortably on his knee--anattention which she received with a sigh of deep contentment,--"are thepeople here kind to you?"

  "Yes, very kind. Old Meerta is as kind to me almost as mamma used tobe, but I don't love her so much--not nearly so much,--and blind Bungois a dear old man."

  "That's nice. And the others--are they kind to you?"

  "What others? Oh, I suppose you mean the men who come and stay for atime, and then go off again. O no! They are not kind. They are badmen--very naughty; they often fight, and I think call each other badnames, but I don't understand their language very well. They never hurtme, but they are very rough, and I don't like them at all. They allwent away this morning. I was _so_ glad, for they won't be back againfor a good long while, and Meerta and Bungo won't get any more hardknocks, and whippings, till they come back."

  "Ha! they won't come back in a hurry--not these ones at least," said Samin a voice that frightened Letta, inducing her to cling closer to Robin.

  "Don't be afraid, little one," said the latter, "he's only angry withthe bad men that went away this morning. Are there any of them stillremaining here?"

  "What, in the caves?"

  "Ay, in the caves--or anywhere?"

  "No they're all away. Nobody left but me and Meerta and blind Bungo."

  "Is it a long time since you came here?"

  "O yes, very _very_ long!" replied the child, with a sad weary look; "solong that--that you can't think."

  "C
ome, dear; tell us all about it," said Robin in a coaxing tone,--"allabout mamma and how you came here."

  "Very well," said Letta, quite pleased with the request. Clearing herlittle throat with the emphasis of one who has a long story to tell, shebegan with the statement that "mamma was a darling."

  From this, as a starting-point, she gave an amazing and rambling accountof the joys and toys of infancy, which period of life seemed to havebeen spent in a most beautiful garden full of delicious fruits andsunshine, where the presiding and ever present angel was mamma. Thenshe told of a dark night, and a sudden awaking in the midst of flamesand smoke and piercing cries, when fierce men seized her and carried heraway, put her into a ship, where she was dreadfully sick for a long longtime, until they landed on a rocky island, and suddenly she foundherself "there,"--pointing as she spoke to the little garden below them.While she was yet describing her feelings on arrival, a voice shoutingLetta was heard, and she instantly struggled from Robin's knee.

  "O let me go!" she cried. "It's Meerta calling me, and I never let hercall twice."

  "Why? Would she be angry?"

  "No, but she would be sorry. Do let me go!"

  "But won't you let us go too?" asked Sam.

  "O yes, if you want to come. This is the road," she added, as she tookRobin by the hand; "and you must be very careful how you go, else you'llfall and hurt yourselves."

  Great was the amazement, and not slight the alarm of Meerta, when shebeheld her little charge thus piloting two strangers down the hill. Shespoke hurriedly to her blind companion, and at first seemed disposed tohide herself, but the man evidently dissuaded her from such a course,and when Letta ran forward, seized her hard old hands and said that Godhad sent people to take her back to mamma, she dismissed her fears andtook to laughing immoderately.

  It soon became evident to our adventurers that the woman was in herdotage, while the old man was so frail that only a few of the sands oflife remained to run. They both understood a little English, but spokein such a remarkably broken manner, that there was little prospect ofmuch additional information being obtained from them.

  "You hungry--hungry?" asked the old woman, with a sudden gleam ofhospitality. "Come--come--me gif you for heat."

  She took Robin by the hand and led him towards a cavern, the mouth ofwhich had not been visible higher up the mountain. Sam followed, led byLetta.

  The interior of the cavern was lofty and the floor level. Besides this,it was sumptuously furnished in a fashion singularly out of keeping withthe spot and its surroundings. Pictures hung on the walls, Persian rugslay on the floors. Ottomans, covered with silk and velvet, were strewnabout here and there, among easy-chairs of various kinds, some formed ofwicker-work--in the fantastic shapes peculiar to the East--others ofwood and cane, having the ungainly and unreasonable shapes esteemed byWestern taste. Silver lamps and drinking-cups and plates of the finestporcelain were also scattered about, for there was no order in thecavern, either as to its arrangement or the character of its decoration.In the centre stood several large tables of polished wood, on whichwere the remains of what must have been a substantial feast--the dishesbeing as varied as the furniture--from the rice and egg messes ofEastern origin, to the preserved sardines of the West.

  "Ha! ha!" laughed the weird old creature who ushered the astonishedyouths into this strange banqueting hall, "the rubberts--rubbers--youcalls dem?"

  "Robbers, she means; that's the naughty men," explained Letta, whoseemed to enjoy the old woman's blunders in the English tongue.

  "Yis, dats so--roberts an' pyrits--ha! ha! dems feed here dis mornin'.You feed dis afternoons. Me keeps house for dem. Dey tinks me alonewid Bungo an' Letta, ho! ho! but me's got cumpiny dis day. Sit down an'grub wat yous can. Doo you good. Doo Letta and Bungo good. Doos allgood. Fire away! Ha! ha-a! Keep you's nose out o' dat pie, Bungo, youbrute. Vous git sik eff you heat more."

  Regardless of this admonition, the poor old man broke off a huge mass ofpie-crust, which he began to mouth with his toothless gums, a quietsmile indicating at once his indifference to Meerta and consequences,while he mumbled something about its not being every day he got so gooda chance.

  "Das true," remarked the old woman, with another hilarious laugh. "Deygo hoff awful quick dis day."

  While Sam and Robin sat down to enjoy a good dinner, or ratherbreakfast, of which they stood much in need, Letta explained in adisjointed rambling fashion, that after a feed of this kind the naughtymen usually had a fight, after which they took a long sleep, and thenhad the dishes cleaned up and the silver things locked away beforetaking their departure from the cave for "a long, long time," by which,no doubt, she indicated the period spent on a pilfering expedition. Buton this particular occasion, she added, while the naughty men wereseated at the feast, one of their number from their ship came hastily inand said something, she could not tell what, which caused them at onceto leap up and rush out of the cave, and they had not come back since.

  "And they're not likely to come back, little one," said Robin through amouthful of rice.

  "Ha! ha-a!" laughed Sam through a mouthful of pie-crust.

  "Ho! ho!" cried the old woman, with a look of surprise, "yous bery bravboy, I dessay, but if dem roberts doos kum back, you soon laugh on wrongside ob de mout', for dey screw yous limbses off, an' ho! skrunch yousteeth hout, an' roast you 'live, so you better heat w'at yous can an' gohof--fast as you couldn't."

  "I say, Robin," said Sam, unable to restrain a smile at the expressionof Letta's face, as she listened to this catalogue of horrors, "thatspeech might have taken away our appetites did we not know that the`roberts' are all dead."

  "Dead!" exclaimed the old woman with a start and a gleam of seriousintelligence, such as had not before appeared on her wrinkled visage;"are de roberts _all_ dead?"

  "All," replied Sam, who thereupon gave the old pair a full account ofwhat had been witnessed on the shore.

  Strange to say, the old man and woman were much depressed by the news,although, from what they afterwards related, they had been very cruellytreated by the pirates, by whom they had been enslaved for many years.Nay, old Meerta even dropped a tear or two quietly to their memory, for,as she remarked, by way of explanation or excuse, "dey wasn't all so badas each oder."

  However, she soon recovered her composure, and while Sam Shiptonreturned to the shore to fetch their comrades to the cave, she toldRobin, among other things, that the pirates had brought Letta to theisland two years before, along with a large quantity of booty, but thatshe did not know where she came from, or to whom she belonged.

  Sam Shipton resolved to give his comrades the full benefit of thesurprise in store, therefore, on returning to them, he merely said thathe had left Robin in a rather curious place in the interior, where theyhad discovered both food and drink in abundance, and that he had come toconduct them to it.

  By that time the seaman whom they had rescued had recoveredconsiderably, and was able to walk with assistance, though still ratherconfused in his mind and disposed to be silent. At first he expressed adesire to be left to sleep where he was, but on being told that theplace they were going to was not far-off and that he would be able torest longer and much more comfortably there than where he was, he bracedhimself up and accompanied them, leaning on Sam and Jim Slagg as hestaggered along.

  Need it be said that both Slagg and Stumps shouted with surprise whenthey came suddenly in sight of the garden; that they lost the power ofutterance on beholding Robin holding familiar converse with an old hag,a blind man, and a small angel; and that they all but fell down onentering the pirate's cave?

  No, it need not be said; let us pass, therefore, to the next scene inthis amazing drama.

  Of course Robin had prepared the inhabitants of the garden for thearrival of his friends. He had also learned that the pirates, in thehurry of departure, had not only left everything lying about, but hadleft the key of their treasure-cave in the lock. Old Meerta offered toshow him the contents, but Robi
n determined to await the arrival of hisfriends before examining the place.

  When Slagg and Stumps had breakfasted, and the sailor had been laid on acomfortable couch, where he immediately fell fast asleep, Robin pulledthe key of the treasure-cave out of his pocket and asked his comrades tofollow him. Wondering at the request, they did so.

  The cave referred to lay at the inner extremity of the banquetingcavern, and was guarded by a massive door of wood. Opening this, Robinallowed the old woman to enter first and lead the way. She did so withone of her wild "ho! ho's!" being obviously much excited at theopportunity of showing to the visitors the contents of a cavern whichshe had never before been permitted to enter, save in the company of thepirates. Entering the small doorway, through which only a subdued lightpenetrated, she went to a ledge or natural shelf of rock and took down asilver lamp of beautiful workmanship, which had probably belonged to achurch or temple. Lighting it, she ushered them through a naturalarchway into an inner cavern, round the walls of which were heaped inpiles merchandise and wealth of all kinds in great profusion andvariety. There were bales of broadcloth and other fabrics from thelooms of Tuscany; tweeds from the factories of Scotland; silks, satinsand velvets in great rolls, mingled with lace, linen, and more delicatefabrics. Close beside these piles, but not mixed with them, were boxesof cutlery and other hardware, and, further on, chests of drawerscontaining spices from the East, chests of tea and coffee, barrels ofsugar, and groceries of all kinds.

  These things were not thrown together in confusion, but arranged insystematic order, as if under the management of an expert store-keeper,and a desk with business-books on it seemed to indicate that a carefulrecord was kept of the whole.

  Among the miscellaneous merchandise stood several large and massivechests of ancient material and antique form. Taking a bunch of smallkeys from a nail on the wall, the old woman proceeded to open these andexhibit their contents with much of the interest and simple delightexhibited by a child in displaying her treasures to new companions.

  Handing the silver lamp to Robin, who with his comrades looked on insilent surprise, she opened the first chest. It was loaded to the lidwith jewellery of all kinds, which sparkled in the light with dazzlingbrilliancy, for even to the inexperienced eyes of the observers, many ofthe gems were obviously of the finest quality, and almost priceless invalue. There was no order in the arrangement of these--bracelets,ear-rings, watches, etcetera, of European manufacture lying side by sidewith the costly golden wreaths and tiaras of India, and the more massiveand gorgeous brooches, nose-rings, neck-rings, and anklets peculiar tosemi-barbaric lands.

  The next chest was filled with gold, silver, and bronze drinking-cupsand goblets, lamps, vases, and urns, that had been gathered from theships of many countries. Then there were chests which contained littlebarrels full of gold and silver coin of every realm, from the hugegolden doubloon of Spain to the little silver groschen of Germany.Besides all this varied wealth, there were piles of arms of allnations--richly chased scimitars of Eastern manufacture, the clumsycutlasses of England, long silver-handled pistols of Oriental form,bluff little "bull-dog" revolvers, cavalry sabres, breech-loadingrifles, flint-lock muskets, shields, spears, bows and arrows--in short,a miscellaneous armoury much too extensive to be described.

  It was interesting to observe the monkey-like countenance of old Meertaas she watched the effect produced on her visitors, her little blackeyes sparkling in the lamp-light more brightly than the finest gemsthere; and not less interesting was it to note the half-amused, morethan half-amazed, and partially imbecile gaze of the still silentvisitors. Little Letta enjoyed their looks quite as much as Meerta.

  "Haven't we got lots of pretty things here?" she said, looking up intoRobin's face.

  "Yes, little one,--wonderful!"

  Robin revived sufficiently to make this reply and to glance at Sam,Slagg, and Stumps, who returned the glance. Then he relapsed.

  Snatching the lamp from his hand, old Meerta now led the party to aremote corner of the cave, where a number of large casks were ranged atone end, and covered with a sheet of leather.

  "Ha! ha!" laughed their wild guide, in a sort of screech, "here be degrandest jools, de finest dimunds of all, what buys all de rest!"

  She lifted a corner of the skin, removed the loose head of a cask, andholding the lamp close over the opening, bade them look in. They didso, and the effect was powerful as well as instantaneous, for there,only a few inches below the flaring light, lay an open barrel ofgunpowder!

  The senses of Sam Shipton returned like a flash of lightning--interest,surprise, admiration vanished like smoke, as he uttered a shout, and,with one hand seizing the wrist of the withered arm that held the lamp,with the other he hastily drew the leathern cover over the exposedpowder and held it down.

  "You old curmudgeon!" he cried; "here, Robin, take the lamp from her,and away with it into the outer cave."

  Our hero promptly obeyed, while the other two, under an instinct ofself-preservation, had already fled in the same direction, followed by ashrill and half-fiendish laugh from the old woman.

  "Well, I never had such a narrow escape," said Sam, as he issued fromthe cave, still holding Meerta firmly, though not roughly, by the wrist.

  "Why, there's enough powder there, I do believe," said Jim Slagg, "tosplit the whole island in two."

  "There, it's all safe now," said Sam, as he locked the heavy door andthrust the key in his pocket; "and I will take care of your treasuresfor you in future, old lady."

  "Wass you frighted?" asked the old woman with a low laugh, in which evenLetta joined.

  "Frighted, you reckless old thing," replied Sam, seizing a tankard ofwater and draining it, "of course I was; if a spark had gone down intothat cask, you would have been considerably frighted too."

  "I'm not so sure of that," said Stumps; "she wouldn't have had time toget a fright."

  "O no!" said Meerta; "I's niver frighted. Many time me stan' by datkeg, t'inkin', t'inkin', t'inkin' if me stuff de light in it, and blowde pyrits vid all dere tings to 'warsl smash; but no--me tinks dat someof dem wasn't all so bad as each oder."

  This thought seemed to have the effect of quieting the roused spirit ofthe poor old woman, for thereafter a softened expression overspread herwrinkled face as she went silently about clearing away the debris of therecent feast.