Jarwin and Cuffy

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER FIVE.

  JARWIN AND CUFFY FALL INTO BAD COMPANY.

  Immediately on discovering the sail, Jarwin hoisted a small canvas flag,which he had prepared for the purpose, to the mast-head, and then satdown to watch with indescribable earnestness the motions of the vessel.There was great cause for anxiety he well knew, because his raft was amere speck on the great waste of waters which might easily be overlookedeven by a vessel passing at a comparatively short distance, and if thevessel's course should happen to lie across that of the raft, there wasevery probability she would only be visible for a short time and thenpass away like a ray of hope dying out.

  After gazing in perfect silence for half-an-hour, Jarwin heaved a deepsigh and said--

  "She steers this way, Cuffy."

  Cuffy acknowledged the remark with a little whine and a very slight wagof his tail. It was evident that his spirits had sunk to a low ebb, andthat he was not prepared to derive comfort from every triflingcircumstance.

  "Come, we'll have a bit of summat to eat, my doggie," said the sailor,reaching forward his hand to the provision bundle.

  Thoroughly understanding and appreciating this remark, Cuffy rousedhimself and looked on with profound interest, while his master cut up adried fish. Having received a large share of it, he forgot everythingelse, and devoted all his powers, physical and mental, to the businessin hand. Although Jarwin also applied himself to the food with thedevotion of a man whose appetite is sharp, and whose strength needsrecruiting, he was very far indeed from forgetting other things. Hekept his eyes the whole time on the approaching sail, and once or twicebecame so absorbed and so anxious lest the vessel should change hercourse, that he remained with his mouth half open, and with theunconsumed morsel reposing therein for a minute or more at a time.

  But the vessel did not change her course. On she came; a fine largeschooner with raking masts, and so trim and neat in her rig that sheresembled a pleasure-yacht. As she drew near, Jarwin rose, and holdingon to the mast, waved a piece of canvas, while Cuffy, who felt thatthere was now really good ground for rejoicing, wagged his tail andbarked in an imbecile fashion, as if he didn't exactly know whether tolaugh or cry.

  "We're all safe now, doggie," exclaimed Jarwin, as the schooner camecutting through the water before a light breeze, leaving a slight trackof foam in her wake.

  When within about two or three hundred yards of the raft, the castawaycould see that a figure leant on the vessel's side and brought atelescope to bear on him. With a feeling of irrepressible gladness helaughed and waved his hand.

  "Ay, ay, take a good squint," he shouted, "an' then lower a boat--eh!--"

  He stopped abruptly, for at that moment the figure turned towards thesteersman; the schooner's head fell away, presenting her stern to theraft, and began to leave her behind.

  The truth flashed upon Jarwin like a thunderbolt. It was clear that thecommander of the strange vessel had no intention of relieving him. Inthe first burst of mingled despair and indignation, the seaman uttered abass roar of defiance that might have done credit to the lungs of asmall carronade, and at the same time shook his fist at the retiringschooner.

  The effect of this was as sudden as it was unexpected. To his surprisehe observed that the schooner's head was immediately thrown up into thewind, and all her sails shook for a few moments, then, filling outagain, the vessel bent gracefully over on the other tack. Withreturning joy the castaway saw her run straight towards him. In a fewminutes she was alongside, and her topsails were backed.

  "Look out! catch hold!" cried a gruff voice, as a sailor sent a coil ofrope whirling over the raft. Jarwin caught it, took a turn round themast, and held on.

  In a minute the raft was alongside. Weak though he was, Jarwin retainedenough of his sailor-like activity to enable him to seize a rope andswing himself on board with Cuffy in his arms.

  He found himself on the pure white deck of a craft which was so wellappointed and so well kept, that his first impressions were revived--namely, that she was a pleasure-yacht. He knew that she was not avessel of war, because, besides the absence of many little things thatmark such a vessel, the few men on deck were not clothed likeman-of-war's-men, and there was no sign of guns, with the exception ofone little brass carronade, which was probably used as a signal-gun.

  A tall stout man, in plain costume, which was neither quite that of aseaman nor a landsman, stood with his arms crossed on his broad chestnear the man at the wheel. To him, judging him to be the captain orowner of the vessel, Jarwin went up, and, pulling his forelock by way ofsalutation, said--

  "Why, sir, I thought 'ee was a-goin' to leave me!"

  "So I was," answered the captain, drily. "Hold on to the raft," headded, turning to the man who had thrown the rope to Jarwin.

  "Well, sir," said the latter in some surprise, "in course I don't knowwhy you wos a-goin' to leave a feller-creetur to his fate, but I'm gladyou didn't go for to do it, 'cos it wouldn't have bin Christian-like.But I'm bound for to thank 'ee, sir, all the same for havin' saved me--and Cuffy."

  "Don't be too free with your thanks, my good man," returned the captain,"for you're not saved, as you call it, yet."

  "Not saved yet?" repeated Jarwin.

  "No. Whether I save you or not depends on your keeping a civil tonguein your head, and on your answers to my questions."

  The captain interlarded his speech with many oaths, which, of course, weomit. This, coupled with his rude manners, induced Jarwin to suspectthat the vessel was not a pleasure-yacht after all, so he wisely heldhis peace.

  "Where do you belong to?" demanded the captain.

  "To Yarmouth, sir."

  "What ship did you sail in, what has come of her, and how came you to becast adrift?"

  "I sailed in the _Nancy_, sir, from Plymouth, with a miscellaneous cargofor China. She sprung a leak in a gale, and we was 'bliged to make araft, the boats bein' all stove in or washed away. It was barely readywhen the ship went down starn foremost. Durin' the gale all my mateswere washed off the raft or died of exposure; only me and my dog left."

  "How long ago was that?" asked the captain.

  "Couldn't rightly say, sir, I've lost count o' time, but it's more thana year gone by anyhow."

  "That's a lie," said the captain, with an oath.

  "No, 'taint, sir," replied Jarwin, reddening, "it's a truth. I was nighstarved on that raft, but was cast on an island where I've bin till afew days ago ever since, when I put to sea on the raft that now laysa-starn there."

  For a few seconds the captain made no rejoinder, but a glance at theraft seemed to satisfy him of the truth of what was said. At length hesaid abruptly--

  "What's your name?"

  "John Jarwin, sir."

  "Well, John Jarwin, I'll save you on one condition, which is, that youbecome one of my crew, and agree to do my bidding and ask no questions.What say you?"

  Jarwin hesitated.

  "Haul up the raft and let this man get aboard of it," said the captain,coolly but sternly, to the seaman who held the rope.

  "You've no occasion to be so sharp, sir," said John, remonstratively."If you wos to tell me to cut my own throat, you know, I could scarce beexpected for to do it without puttin' a few questions as to the reasonwhy. You're a trader, I suppose?"

  "Yes, I'm a trader," replied the captain, "but I don't choose to bequestioned by you. All you've got to do is to agree to my proposal orto walk over the side. To tell you the truth, when I saw you firstthrough the glass, you looked such a starved wretch that I thought you'dbe of no use to me, and if it hadn't been for the yell you gave, thatshowed there was something in you still, I'd have left you to sink orswim. So you see what sort of man you've got to deal with. I'mshort-handed, but not so short as to engage an unwilling man, or a manwho wouldn't be ready for any sort of dirty work. You may take yourchoice."

  "Well, sir," replied Jarwin, "I've no objection to take service with'ee. As the sayin' goes, `beggars mustn't be choosers.' I ain't
abovedoin' dirty work, if required."

  John Jarwin, in the simplicity of his heart, imagined that the captainwas in need of a man who could and would turn his hand to any sort ofwork, whether nautical or otherwise, on board ship or ashore, which washis idea of "dirty work;" but the captain appeared to understand him ina different sense, for he smiled in a grim fashion, nodded his head,and, turning to the seaman before mentioned, bade him cut the raftadrift. The man obeyed, and in a few minutes it was out of sightastern.

  "Now, Jarwin, go below," said the captain; "Isaacs will introduce you toyour messmates."

  Isaacs, who had just cut away the raft, was a short, thick-set man, witha dark, expressionless face. He went forward without saying a word, andintroduced Jarwin to the men as a "new 'and."

  "And a green un, I s'pose; give us your flipper, lad," said one of thecrew, holding out his hand.

  Jarwin shook it, took off his cap and sat down, while his new friendsbegan, as they expressed it, to pump him. Having no objection to bepumped, he had soon related the whole of his recent history. In thecourse of the narrative he discovered that his new associates were anunusually rough set. Their language was interspersed with frightfuloaths, and their references to the captain showed that his power overthem was certainly not founded on goodwill or affection. Jarwin alsodiscovered that the freeness of his communication was not reciprocatedby his new mates, for when he made inquiries as to the nature of thetrade in which they were engaged, some of the men merely replied withuproarious laughter, chaff, or curses, while others made jocularallusions to sandal-wood trading, slaving, etcetera.

  "I shouldn't wonder now," said one, "if you was to think we waspirates."

  Jarwin smiled as he replied, "Well, I don't exactly think _that_, butI'm bound for to say the schooner _has_ got such a rakish look that itwouldn't seem unnatural like if you _were_ to hoist a black flag at thepeak. An' you'll excuse me, shipmets, if I say that yer lingo ain'tjust so polished as it might be."

  "And pray who are _you_, that comes here to lecture us about our lingo?"cried one of the men fiercely, starting up and confronting Jarwin withclenched fists.

  "Why, mate," replied Jarwin, quietly folding back the cuffs of his coat,and putting himself in an attitude of defence, "I ain't nobody inpartikler, not the Lord Chancellor o' England, anyhow still less theArchbishop of Canterbury. I'm only plain Jack Jarwin, seaman, but ifyou or any other man thinks--"

  "Come, come," cried one of the men in a tone of authority, startingforward and thrusting Jarwin's assailant violently aside, "none o' thatsort o' thing here. Keep your fists for the niggers, Bill, we're allbrothers here, you know; an affectionate family, so to speak!"

  There was a general laugh at this. Bill retired sulkily, and Jarwin satdown to a plate of hot "lob-scouse," which proved to be very good, andof which he stood much in need.

  For several days our hero was left very much to himself. The schoonersped on her voyage with a fair wind, and the men were employed in lightwork, or idled about the deck. No one interfered with Jarwin, but atthe same time no one became communicative. The captain was a verysilent man, and it was evident that the crew stood much in awe of him.Of course Jarwin's suspicions as to the nature of the craft wereincreased by all this, and from some remarks which he overheard two orthree days after his coming on board, he felt convinced that he hadfallen into bad company. Before a week had passed, this became soevident that he made up his mind to leave the vessel at the very firstopportunity.

  One day he went boldly to the captain and demanded to know the nature ofthe trade in which the schooner was employed and their presentdestination. He was told that that was no business of his, that he hadbetter go forward and mind his duty without more ado, else he should bepitched overboard. The captain used such forcible language when he saidthis, and seemed so thoroughly in earnest, that Jarwin felt no longerany doubt as to his true character.

  "I'll tell you what it is, my lad," said the captain, "my schooner is atrader or a man-of-war according to circumstances, and I'm a free man,going where I choose and doing what I please. I treat my men well whenthey do their duty; when they don't I make 'em walk the plank. No doubtyou know what that means. If you don't we shall soon teach you. Taketo-night to think over it. To-morrow morning I'll have a question ortwo to ask you. There--go!"

  Jarwin bowed submissively and retired.

  That night the moon shone full and clear on the wide ocean's breast, andJarwin stood at the bow of the schooner, looking sadly over the side,and patting his little dog gently on the head.

  "Cuffy, you and me's in a fix, I suspect," he murmured in a low tone;"but cheer up, doggie, a way to escape will turn up no doubt."

  He had scarcely uttered the words when his eye fell on the distantoutline of land on the lee bow. He started, and gazed with fixedintensity for some minutes, under the impression that it might perhapsbe a fog-bank lighted by the moon, but in a short time it became sodistinct that there could be no doubt it was land. He pointed it out tothe watch on deck, one of whom said carelessly that he had seen it forsome time, and that there were plenty more islands of the same sort inthese seas.

  Jarwin walked aft and stood near the lee gangway contemplating theisland in silence for some time. A small oar lay at his feet. Suddenlyhe conceived the daring idea of seizing this, plunging overboard andattempting to swim to land. He was a splendid swimmer, and although theisland appeared to be more than two miles distant, he did not fearfailure. A moment's reflection, however, convinced him that the men ondeck would certainly hear the plunge, heave the ship to, and lower aboat, in which case he should be immediately overtaken. Still, beingresolved to escape at all hazards, he determined to make the venture.Fastening a rope to a belaying pin, he tied the oar to it and lowered itover the side until it trailed in the water, he then lifted Cuffy, whowas almost always near him, on to the side of the vessel, with a whisperto keep still. The watch paced the weather side of the deck conversingin low tones. The steersman could, from his position, see bothgangways, and although the light was not strong enough to reveal whatJarwin was about, it was too strong to admit of his going bodily overthe side without being observed. He, therefore, walked slowly to thehead of the vessel, where he threw over the end of a small rope. Bymeans of this, when the watch were well aft, he slid noiselessly intothe sea, hanging on by one hand and supporting Cuffy with the other.Once fairly in the water he let go, the side of the vessel rubbedswiftly past him, and he all but missed grasping the oar which trailedat the gangway. By this he held on for a few seconds to untie the rope.He had just succeeded and was about to let go, when, unfortunately, thehandle of the oar chanced to hit the end of Cuffy's nose a severe blow.The poor dog, therefore, gave vent to a loud yell of pain. InstantlyJarwin allowed himself to sink and held his breath as long as hepossibly could, while Cuffy whined and swam on the surface.

  Meanwhile the men on deck ran to the side. "Hallo!" cried one, "it'sJarwin's little dog gone overboard."

  "Let it go," cried another with a laugh; "it's a useless brute and eatsa power o' grub."

  "I say, wot a splashin' it do kick up," he added as the little dog wasleft astern making vain efforts to clamber on the oar. "Why, lads,there's somethin' else floatin' beside it, uncommon like a seal. Are'ee sure, Bill, that Jarwin hasn't gone overboard along with his dog?"

  "Why no," replied Bill; "I seed him go forward a little ago; besides itain't likely he'd go over without givin' a shout."

  "I dun know that," said the other; "he might have hit his head again'somethin' in tumblin' over."

  By this time the objects in question were almost out of sight astern.In a few minutes more a dark cloud covered the moon and effectually shutthem out from view.

  Just then the Captain came on deck, and asked what was wrong.

  "Fools!" he exclaimed, in a voice of thunder, on being told, "lower thegig. Look sharp! Don't you see the land, you idiots? The man's awayas well as the dog."

  In a few seconds
the topsails were backed and the boat lowered, manned,and pushed off.

  But Jarwin heard and saw nothing of all this. He was now far astern,for the vessel had been going rapidly through the water.

  On coming to the surface after his dive he caught hold of Cuffy, and,with a cheering word or two, placed him on his back, telling him to holdon by his paws the best way he could. Then grasping the end of the oar,and pointing the blade land-wards, he struck out vigorously with hislegs.

  It was a long and weary swim, but as his life depended on it, the seamanpersevered. When he felt his strength giving way, he raised not onlyhis heart but his voice in prayer to God, and felt restored each timethat he did so. Just as he neared the shore, the sound of oars broke onhis ears, and presently he heard the well-known voice of the Captainordering the men to pull hard. Fortunately it was by this time verydark. He landed without being discerned. The surf was heavy, but hewas expert in rough water, went in on the top of a billow, and wassafely launched on a soft sandy beach, almost at the same moment withthe boat. The latter was, however, at a considerable distance from him.He crept cautiously up the shore until he gained a thicket, and then,rising, he plunged into the woods and ran straight before him until hewas exhausted, carrying the little dog in his arms. Many a fall andbruise did the poor fellow receive in his progress, but the fear ofbeing retaken by the pirates--for such he felt convinced they were--lenthim wings. The Captain and his men made a long search, but finally gaveit up, and, returning to the boat, pushed off. Jarwin never saw themagain.

  He and Cuffy lay where they had fallen, and slept, wet though they were,till the sun was high. They were still sleeping when a native chief ofthe island, happening to pass along the beach, discerned Jarwin'sfootsteps and traced him out. This chief was an immensely largepowerful man, armed with a heavy club. He awoke the sailor with a kick,and spoke in a language which he did not understand. His gestures,however, said plainly enough, "Get up and come along with me," so Jarwinthought it best to obey. Of course whatever Jarwin thought, Cuffy wasof precisely the same opinion. They therefore quietly got up andfollowed the big chief to his village, where they were received by alarge concourse of savages with much excitement and curiosity.