The Ocean Cat's Paw: The Story of a Strange Cruise
Page 23
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
SUSPICIOUS VISITORS.
There was a dead silence among the men as the soft white ball of smokerose slowly and steadily, expanding the while and changing its shapetill it became utterly diffused. The occupants of the schooner's deckwere statuesque in their rigidity, the crew to a man gazing hard at thecaptain as they strained their hearing to catch his next command; thecaptain fixed his eyes from one side upon Uncle Paul, while Rodd stoodupon the other with his lips apart, gazing questioningly in his uncle'shalf-closed lids, as the doctor leaned back in his deck-chair with athoughtful frown upon his brow.
Then he started slightly, for the captain spoke.
"Well, sir," he said, "what's it to be?"
"What's it to be, Captain Chubb? I do not quite understand you."
"It's plain enough, sir. If I throw the schooner up in the wind weshall have a man-of-war's boat aboard us and some young officer incommand in less than half-an-hour. First thing will be he'll ask forour papers, and then fall in the lads, run his eye along them, take hispick, and order the poor fellows down into the boat; and that meanssending us back to port to fill up the best way we can, and perhaps notdo it. On the other hand, I can make believe a bit and still keepforging on a little till the darkness comes, and then--"
The captain stopped.
"Yes," said the doctor; "and then--"
"Well, sir, it would go very hard if that sloop of war wasn't out ofsight at daybreak to-morrow morning, and even if she wasn't I don'tthink she'd overtake us again."
"I feel sure you are wrong, Captain Chubb," said the doctor. "I repeat;my papers and the grant I have had from his Majesty's Government will, Ifeel sure, be sufficient to protect my schooner and crew from any actionin the way of pressing from one of his Majesty's ships. You will havethe goodness to obey the signal, and wait and see what follows."
"You mean to risk it, then, sir?"
"I mean to do my duty as a subject of his Majesty the King," said UnclePaul gravely.
"Very well, sir. I am captain of this schooner, but I am your servant,and it is my duty to obey your orders," said the captain, in hisgruffest tones; and he walked heavily to the man at the wheel.
The time had been short, but too long for the patience of theman-of-war, for before the skipper had opened his mouth to give hisorder to the steersman, another puff of white smoke darted from thesloop's bows, there was a heavy thud, and a cannon ball came skippingover the heaving sea like a flat stone thrown by a clever boy across thewaters of a pond--dick, duck and drake fashion--while a thrill ranthrough all on board as they watched the shot pass right in front of theschooner's bows and give its final splash as it disappeared far away.
Then the captain spoke, the stem of the schooner gradually bore round,with the sails beginning to shiver as she faced more and more to thewind, and finally flapping to and fro; but almost at once as the spokesturned rapidly through Isaac Gregg's hands, a deep low murmur ranthrough the crew, while a pang-like spasm seemed to shoot upward tocause a choky sensation in Rodd Harding's throat.
"Silence there, my lads," said the skipper sternly, and Rodd noticed thegloomy look upon his countenance as he turned his back to the doctor andwalked to the side to stand gazing at the distant ship.
Many minutes had not elapsed before Rodd, who had turned his back to themen so as not to see their faces, and to hide his own, saw through thetelescope he was busily using, something moving at the side of thesloop--a something which glided down her side and which was soonafterwards succeeded by a faint glitter as of the movement of rays.
Then there was a splash, followed by the regular dipping of oars whichseemed to throw up so much golden spray on either side, and the boycould plainly make out the sloop's boat being rowed out clear of theman-of-war, and gradually increasing its distance.
Rodd watched them for some time, and what was but a speck to his nakedeye plainly showed in the field of the glass the regular movements ofthe men, and now and then a flash suggestive of the rowers wearingsomething brightly polished.
There were more flashes too caused by the sun's nearly horizontal rays,and these came from right astern, where the golden orange sunshineseemed to be intensified, looking wonderfully red; but ere long thewatcher had grasped the fact that he was looking at the bright scarletcoats of so many marines, and then he was able to note the figures oftwo of the boat's occupants seated together.
"The officers in command," he said to himself.
It was a long row from vessel to vessel, and the sun had begun to dip,and sank quite out of sight as the sloop's cutter came alongside, themen tossed up their oars, and a smart-looking officer of about thirtysprang up the side, followed by a lad of Rodd's own age, who took hisattention from the first.
The officer was received at the side by the doctor and captain, Roddstanding slightly behind looking hard at the midshipman, who staredharder, frowning and putting on an air of the most consequential kind,while, presumably involuntarily, his left hand played with the ivory andgilt hilt of a curved dirk, suggestive of a strong desire to draw it outof its sheath and flourish it before the schooner's crew.
The officer nodded importantly at the doctor, and then turned frowninglyupon the skipper with the angry question--
"What's the reason you didn't heave to?"
"Didn't give me time," growled the captain surlily.
"No insolence, sir! You ought to have obeyed the first gun. You are anEnglishman, and by the look of you have been long enough at sea to knowthe rules when you encounter a man-of-war. Now then, what ship's this?"
"_Maid of Salcombe_, Plymouth."
"Owner?"
"I am," said the doctor quietly.
"Oh! What are you trading in?"
"I am not trading," said the doctor quietly. "This schooner is upon ascientific expedition, under the auspices of the English Government."
"Oh," said the officer suspiciously; and he looked from the doctor tothe skipper, and from thence ran his eye over the crew gathered forward,while the midshipman altered the pitch of his hat, turned towards Rodd,whom for the last few moments he had been ignoring, and looked him upand down in a supercilious manner which made the blood mount to theboy's forehead, and set him staring down at the middy's bright shoes,from whence he slowly raised his eyes as far as the belt which supportedthe dirk, and from there higher up to his hat, where he fixed his eyesupon the officer's cockade and kept them obstinately there, till thelad's nostrils began to expand, he grew as red in the face as Rodd, andhis menacing eyes seemed to say, You insolent young civilian, how dareyou!
"Rather a strong crew, skipper," said the lieutenant sharply.
"Yes, sir; picked men," replied Captain Chubb.
"And there's a look about them of the able seaman, R.N."
"Perhaps so, sir," replied the skipper, who gazed bluntly back at theintruder.
"Well-found schooner, skipper, and carries a press of sail."
"Yes, sir. Very smart craft," replied the skipper.
"Long gun amidships and a couple of small brass guns forward," continuedthe lieutenant, who seemed to miss nothing. "Very roomy hold below, Ishould say."
"Yes, sir. Built for a Mediterranean orange boat."
"And no cargo, I think you said."
"No, sir; only scientific traps, as Dr Robson here calls them."
"Yes," said the doctor, interposing.
"I am not talking to you, sir," said the lieutenant haughtily. "Yourturn will come."
Rodd's uncle bowed, and turned away, frowning.
"Stop, sir!" cried the officer sharply.
"What insolence, uncle!" said Rodd aloud; and he turned away from themidshipman, to cross to his uncle's side.
"What's that?" shouted the lieutenant, and the middy clapped his hand tothe hilt of his dirk.
"I said what insolence, sir. My uncle is a gentleman."
"And it seems that his nephew is not. Be silent, boy, and recollect inwhose presence you stand. I am a King
's officer.--Now, Mr--what isyour name? Robson? Have the goodness to tell me how it is that, with alight, fast-sailing schooner, well-armed, and with a crew evidentlyfighting men, you are found here in the neighbourhood of one of thenotorious slave-supplying rivers? You may just as well speak the truth,for in all probability your schooner will be a prize to his Majesty'ssloop of war _Diadem_."
"I beg your pardon," said the doctor quietly. "Suspicious appearancescan always be found by those who seek for them. If you will have thegoodness to step below with the captain you can examine the papers andthe scientific fittings of portions of the hold which were preparedunder my instructions when I started upon the voyage. I don't think,sir, you will find any accommodation has been made for the reception ofa black living cargo of those poor unfortunate objects of humanity inwhom a certain vile nefarious traffic is carried on. Captain Chubb,pray take this gentleman below and show him everything he desires."
"Oh," said the lieutenant sharply, "if this is so, Mr Rodson--"
"Dr Robson, at your service," said the owner of the name, glancingsharply at his nephew, with a faint smile upon his lips, for at theutterance by the lieutenant of the syllable _Rod_ the boy had startedviolently.
As the doctor spoke he took out his pocket-book, drew forth a card, andheld it between two fingers in doctor's fashion towards the officer.
"Humph! MD, Plymouth. Oh, well, Dr Robson, I hope to find that I havebeen labouring under a mistake;" and he raised his hand to his cockedhat. "But I have my duty to do."
"Don't apologise, sir," said the doctor, who had changed as in a momentfrom the sturdy naturalist into the urbane medical man. "I quite seeyour necessity for guarding against imposture. Pray proceed."
The lieutenant nodded sharply, and leaving his guard of a couple ofmarines at the gangway, and the boat's crew ready to spring up the sideat the slightest alarm, he followed the skipper to the cabin hatch, thedoctor hesitating as if in doubt for a moment or two, and then followingdeliberately down the cabin stairs.