Gascoyne, the Sandal-Wood Trader

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

  THE CAPTURE AND THE FIRE.

  Eight days after the rescue of Henry Stuart from a horrible death, asrelated in the last chapter, the _Talisman_ found herself, late in theafternoon, within about forty hours' sail of Sandy Cove.

  Mulroy had visited the Isle of Palms, and found that the pirates hadflown. The mate of the _Avenger_ and his companions had taken advantageof the opportunity of escape afforded them by Gascoyne, and had hastilyquitted their rendezvous with as much of the most valuable portion oftheir booty as the boat could carry. As this is their last appearancein these pages, it may be as well to say that they were never againheard of. Whether they perished in a storm, or gained some distantland, and followed their former leader's advice--to repent of theirsins,--or again took to piracy, and continued the practice of theirterrible trade under a more bloody minded captain, we cannot tell. Theydisappeared as many a band of wicked men has disappeared before, andnever turned up again. With these remarks we dismiss them from ourtale.

  Surly Dick now began to entertain sanguine hopes that he would bepardoned, and that he would yet live to enjoy the undivided booty whichhe alone knew lay concealed in the Isle of Palms--for, now that he hadheard Henry's account of the landing of Gascoyne on the island, he neverdoubted that the pirates would fly in haste from a spot that was nolonger unknown to others, and that they would be too much afraid ofbeing captured to venture to return to it.

  It was, then, with a feeling of no small concern that the pirate heardthe look-out shout on the afternoon referred to, "Sail ho!"

  "Where away?"

  "On the lee beam."

  The course of the frigate was at once changed, and she ran down towardsthe strange sail.

  "A schooner, sir," observed the second lieutenant to Mr Mulroy.

  "It looks marvellously like the _Foam_, alias the _Avenger_," observedthe latter. "Beat to quarters. If this rascally pirate has indeed beenthrown in our way again, we will give him a warm reception. Why, thevillain has actually altered his course, and is standing towards us."

  "Don't you think it is just possible," suggested Henry Stuart, "thatGascoyne may have captured the vessel from his mate, and now comes tomeet us as a friend?"

  "I don't know that," said Mulroy, in an excited tone, for he could noteasily forget the rough usage his vessel had received at the hands ofthe bold pirate. "I don't know that. No doubt Gascoyne's mate wasagainst him; but the greater part of the crew were evidently in hisfavour, else why the secret manner in which he was deprived of hiscommand? No, no. Depend upon it the villain has got hold of hisschooner and will keep it. By a fortunate chance we have again met; Iwill see to it that we do not part without a close acquaintance. Yetwhy he should throw himself into my very arms in this way, puzzles me.Ha! I see his big gun amidships. It is uncovered. No doubt he countson his superior sailing powers, and means to give us a shot and shew ushis heels. Well, we shall see."

  "There goes his flag," observed the second lieutenant.

  "What! eh! It's the _Union Jack_!" exclaimed Mulroy.

  "I doubt not that your own captain commands the schooner," said Henry,who had of course, long before this time, made the first lieutenant ofthe _Talisman_ acquainted with Montague's capture by the pirate, alongwith Alice and her companions. "You naturally mistrust Gascoyne, but Ihave reason to believe that, on this occasion at least, he is a trueman."

  Mulroy returned no answer, for the two vessels were now almost nearenough to enable those on board to distinguish faces with the telescope.A very few minutes sufficed to remove all doubts; and, a quarter of anhour later, Montague stood on his own quarterdeck, receiving thecongratulations of his officers, while Henry Stuart was seized upon andsurrounded by his friends Corrie, Alice, Poopy, the missionary, and OleThorwald.

  In the midst of a volley of excited conversation Henry suddenlyexclaimed, "But what of Gascoyne? Where is the pirate captain?"

  "Why, we've forgotten him," exclaimed Thorwald, whose pipe was doingduty like a factory chimney. "I shouldn't wonder if he took advantageof us just now to give us the slip!"

  "No fear of that," said Mr Mason. "Poor fellow, he has felt your lossterribly, Henry, for we all believed that you were lost; but I am boundto confess that none of us have shewn a depth of sorrow equal to that ofGascoyne. It seems unaccountable to me. He has not shewn his face ondeck since the day he gave up all hope of rescuing you, and has eatennothing but a biscuit now and then, which he would suffer no one butCorrie to take to him."

  "Poor Gascoyne, I will go and relieve his mind," said Henry, turning toquit the quarterdeck.

  Now, the noise created by the meeting of the two vessels had arousedGascoyne from the lethargic state of mind and body to which he had givenway. Coming on deck, he was amazed to find himself close to the_Talisman_. A boat lay alongside the _Foam_, into which he jumped, and,sculling towards the frigate, he stepped over the bulwarks just as Henryturned to go in search of him.

  The pirate captain's face wore a haggard, careworn, humbled look, thatwas very different from its usual bold, lion-like expression. No onecan tell what a storm had passed through the strong man's breast whilehe lay alone on the floor of his cabin. The deep, deep sorrow--theremorse for sin--the bitterness of soul when he reflected that hispresent misery was chargeable only to himself. A few nights had givenhim the aspect of a much older man.

  For a few seconds he stood glancing round the quarterdeck of the_Talisman_ with a look of mingled curiosity and sadness. But when hiseye fell on the form of Henry he turned deadly pale, and trembled likean aspen leaf.

  "Well, Gascoyne, my--my--_friend_," said the youth with some hesitationas he advanced.

  The shout that Gascoyne uttered on hearing the young man's voice wasalmost superhuman. It was something like a mingled cheer and cry ofagony. In another moment he sprang forward, and seizing Henry in hisarms, pressed him to his breast with a grasp that rendered the youthutterly powerless.

  Almost instantly he released him from his embrace, and seizing his hand,said, in a wild, gay, almost fierce manner--

  "Come, Henry, lad, I have somewhat to say to you. Come with me."

  He forced rather than led the amazed youth into the boat, sculled to theschooner, hurried him into the cabin, and shut and locked the door.

  We need scarcely say that all this was a matter of the deepest curiosityand interest to those who witnessed it; but they were destined to remainwith their curiosity unsatisfied for some time after that.

  When Henry Stuart issued from the cabin of the _Avenger_ after thatmysterious interview, his countenance wore a surprised and troubledexpression. Gascoyne's, on the contrary, was grave and calm, yetcheerful. He was more like his former self.

  The young man was, of course, eagerly questioned as to what had beensaid to him, and why the pirate had shewn such fondness for him; but theonly reply that could be got from him was, "I must not tell. It is aprivate matter. You shall know time enough."

  With this answer they were fain to be content--even Corrie failed toextract anything more definite from his friend.

  A prize crew was put on board the _Foam_, and the two vessels proceededtowards the harbour of Sandy Cove in company.

  Henry and his friends went in the _Foam_, but Gascoyne was detained aprisoner on board the _Talisman_. Montague felt that it was his duty toput him in irons, but he could not prevail on himself to heapunnecessary indignity on the head of one who had rendered him such goodservice, so he left him at large, intending to put him in irons onlywhen duty compelled him to do so.

  During the night a stiff breeze amounting almost to a gale of fair windsprang up, and the two vessels flew towards their destination, but the_Foam_ left her bulky companion far behind.

  That night a dark and savage mind was engaged on board the _Talisman_ inworking out a black and desperate plot. Surly Dick saw, in the captureof Gascoyne and the _Foam_, the end of all his cherished hopes, and in afit of despair and rage he resolved t
o be avenged.

  This man, when he first came on board the frigate, had not been known asa pirate, and afterwards, as we have seen, he had been treated withleniency on account of his offer to turn informant against his formerassociates. In the stirring events that followed he had beenoverlooked, and, on the night of which we are writing he found himselffree to retire to his hammock with the rest of the watch.

  In the night, when the wind was howling mournfully through the rigging,and the greater part of the crew were buried in repose, this man rosestealthily from his hammock, and with noiseless tread found his way to adark corner of the ship where the eyes of the sentries were not likelyto observe him. Here he had made preparations for his diabolicalpurpose. Drawing a flint and steel from his pocket, he proceeded tostrike a light. This was procured in a few seconds, and as the matchflared up in his face it revealed the workings of a countenance in whichall the strongest and worst passions of human nature had stamped deepand terrible lines.

  The pirate had taken the utmost care, by arranging an old sail over thespot, to prevent the reflection of the light being seen. It revealed alarge mass of oakum and tar. Into the heart of this he thrust thematch, and instantly glided away, as he had come, stealthily and withoutnoise.

  For a few seconds the fire smouldered, for the sail that covered it keptit down, as well as hid it from view. But such combustible materialcould not be smothered long. The smell of burning soon reached one ofthe marines stationed on the lower-deck, who instantly gave the alarm;but almost before the words had passed his lips the flames burst forth.

  "Fire! fire! fire!"

  What a scene ensued! There was confusion at first, for no sound at searings so terribly in the ear as the shout of "Fire!"

  But speedily the stern discipline on board a man-of-war prevailed. Menwere stationed in rows; the usual appliances for the extinction of firewere brought into play; buckets of water were passed down below as fastas they could be drawn. No miscellaneous shouting took place; but theorders that were necessary, and the noise of action, together with theexcitement and the dense smoke that rolled up the hatchway, produced ascene of the wildest and most stirring description.

  In the midst of this the pirate captain, as might have been expected,performed a prominent part. His great physical strength enabled him toact with a degree of vigour that rendered his aid most valuable. Hewrought with the energy of a huge mechanical power, and with a quickpromptitude of perception and a ready change of action which is deniedto mere, mechanism. He tore down the bulk-heads that rendered itdifficult to get at the place where the fire was; he hurled bucket afterbucket of water on the glowing mass, and rushed, amid clouds of hotsteam and suffocating smoke, with piles of wet blankets to smother itout.

  Montague and he wrought together. The young captain issued his ordersas calmly as if there were no danger, yet with a promptitude and vigourthat inspired his men with confidence. Gascoyne's voice was neverheard. He obeyed orders and acted as circumstances required, but he didnot presume, as men are too apt to do on such occasions, to give ordersand advice when there was a legitimate commander. Only once or twicewere the deep tones of his bass voice heard, when he called for morewater, or warned the more daring among the men when danger from fallingtimber threatened them.

  But all this availed not to check the flames. The men were quicklydriven upon deck, and it soon became evident that the vessel mustperish. The fire burst through the hatchways, and in a short time beganto leap up the rigging.

  It now became necessary to make arrangements for the saving of the crew.

  "Nothing more can be done, Mr Mulroy," said Montague, in a calm voicethat accorded ill with the state of his mind. "Get the boats ready, andorder the men to assemble on the quarter-deck."

  "If we were only nearer the island," said Gascoyne in a low tone, as ifhe were talking to himself, "we might run her on the reef, and thebreakers would soon put out the fire."

  "That would be little consolation to me," said Montague, with a bittersmile. "Lower the boats, Mr Mulroy. The _Foam_ has observed ourcondition, I see; let them row to it. I will go in the gig."

  The first lieutenant hastened to obey the order, and the men embarked inthe boats, lighted by the flames, which were now roaring high up themasts.

  Meanwhile, the man who had been the cause of all this was rushing aboutthe deck, a furious maniac. He had wrought at the fire almost asfiercely as Gascoyne himself, and now that all hope was past, hecontinued, despite the orders of Montague to the contrary, to draw waterand rush with bucket after bucket into the midst of the roaring flames.At last he disappeared, no one knew where, and no one cared, for in sucha scene he was soon forgotten.

  The last man left the ship when the heat on the poop became so greatthat it was scarcely possible to stand there. Still Montague andGascoyne stood side by side near the taffrail, and the gig with her crewfloated just below them. The last boatful of men pulled away from theburning vessel, and then Montague turned with a deep sigh and said--

  "Now, Mr Gascoyne, get into the boat. I must be the last man to quitthe ship."

  Without a word Gascoyne swung himself over the stern, and, sliding downby a rope, dropped into the boat. Montague followed, and they rowedaway.

  Just at that moment Surly Dick sprang on the bulwarks, and holding on bythe mizzen-shrouds took off his hat and cheered.

  "Ha! ha!" he shrieked, with a fiendish laugh, "I've escaped you, have I?escaped you--hurrah!" and with another wild shriek he leaped on the hotdeck, and, seizing a bucket, resumed his self-imposed duty of delugingthe fire with water.

  "Pull, pull, lads! we can't leave the miserable man to perish," criedMontague, starting up, while the men rowed after the frigate with theirutmost might. But in vain. Already she was far from them, and everincreased the distance as she ran before the gale.

  As long as the ship lasted the poor maniac was seen diligently pursuinghis work--stopping now and then to spring on the bulwarks and giveanother cheer.

  At last the blazing vessel left boats and schooner far behind, and theflames rose in great flakes and tongues above her top-masts, while thesmoke rolled in dense black volumes away to leeward.

  While the awe-stricken crew watched her there came a sudden flash ofbright white flame, as if a volcano had leaped out of the ocean. Thepowder-magazine had caught. It was followed by a roaring crash thatseemed to rend the very heavens. A thick darkness settled over thescene--and the vessel that a few hours before had been a noble frigate,was scattered on the ocean a mass of blackened ruins.