The Ocean Cat's Paw: The Story of a Strange Cruise

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER FORTY ONE.

  REPTILIAN.

  It was just about the same time as the Spaniard had chosen for his othervisits, after dark, that his boat was again rowed across to theschooner's anchorage, the man asking for the doctor.

  "I'm here," said Uncle Paul, going to the side, from where he had beentalking to the Count. "What's the matter?"

  "Matter?" said the Spaniard wonderingly. "Oh, there's nothing thematter. I thought I'd tell you that those two men of mine you gave thephysic to are quite well again, and don't want any more. That's all.Go on shooting the crocodiles. Good-night!"

  He gave an order to his men, and the boat's head was turned, but as soonas they had proceeded a little way back the Spaniard gave another order,and his men checked the boat and kept on gently dipping their oars tokeep her in the same place. "Doctor there?" shouted the Spaniard."Yes."

  "Haven't thought any more about going up the river, have you?"

  There was dead silence for a few moments, and then Uncle Paul saidsharply, as if making an effort--

  "Yes; I shall start as soon as the tide turns to-morrow morning."

  "Very well," said the man carelessly. "I will come across with mylong-boat and eight of my men. They want a job to keep them awake."

  Then he grumbled out some words in Spanish to those who were with him,while, as if annoyed at what he had heard, Captain Chubb uttered a lowgrowl.

  "No, you needn't do that," cried Uncle Paul. "Our men would like to goup the river. If you will come across to act as guide I will use my ownboat, and take all provisions that are necessary."

  "Very well," said the Spaniard. "Perhaps that will be best. Yourboat's lighter than mine. Take plenty of powder and shot. Like some ofmy men to come and help?"

  "Oh no; it will not be necessary," replied the captain.

  "Bring blankets," shouted the Spaniard. "Dew's heavy. Good-night!"Then the boat was rowed away.

  "You mean to go?" grunted the skipper.

  "Yes; I don't like to lose this opportunity, and our friends here wouldlike us to go."

  "Well," grunted the skipper, after a few moments' thought, "he's onlyone, and you'll be how many?"

  "I was taking eight of the men to row; that is to say, four rowers, andtheir relief; Cross for coxswain--nine; and our three selves."

  "Nay, I'm not going till that brig's finished," said the skipperangrily.

  "I felt assured of that," said the doctor. "The young Count is going tojoin us."

  "Ah, that's better," said the skipper. "But look here, gentlemen, Ionly look upon myself as a servant."

  "Not as mine," said the Count gravely. "I shall always look upon you,Captain Chubb, as one of my most valued friends."

  "And I am sure Captain Chubb knows that I do," said the doctor, "andthat I have ever since he set me down as a scoundrelly slaver."

  "Oh, don't bring that up again, sir," grunted the skipper. "That was ablunder, and every man makes them. Well, that's very nice of you,gentlemen--very nice indeed; and I was going to speak out a bitnervously,--as I consider it to be my duty to do as Dr Robson'sservant; but as you both speak of me as you do, I hope you won't beoffended when I say outright that I don't like that Spanish chap atall."

  "Well, I don't know that I particularly like him," said the doctor; "buthe will be very useful to me, and show me what I want. I shall pay himfor his services, and there'll be an end of it."

  "Yes, gentlemen, that's right enough, but I wouldn't trust him a bit.The doctor will say that it is British prejudice. Perhaps it is; buthere's my crew; there isn't a man among them as I'd say was perfect, butsame time I'd lie down and go to sleep quite comfortable and feelingsafe, if I knew any one of them was on the watch; and it did me goodwhen I heerd you say, sir, that you wouldn't have any of the mongrelcrew. If it had been the other way on, and you'd said you were going totake Mr Rodd and the young French gentleman and trust yourselves up thecountry in their boat, I'll tell you outright, sir, I should have struckagainst it, and if you'd held out and rode the high horse as master,why, there'd have been a mutiny. The men would have took my side, andwe wouldn't have let you go."

  "And quite right too, Chubb," said the doctor, clapping him on theshoulder. "It would have been a good proof that I had done wisely inmaking you my friend. What do you say, Count?"

  "Quite right," was the reply. "Well, captain," continued the Count, "Idon't see that the party can come to much harm with nine of your stoutmen to act as bodyguard, if this Spanish captain is used as a guide."

  "No, sir, I don't see as they can; and as the doctor's come out onpurpose to collect all kinds of curious things and see some of thewonders of the world, I suppose it is right that he should make use of achance like this. But I wouldn't trust that man, gentlemen, fartherthan I could see him, and that's what, with your leave, I am going tosay to my lads. I am just going to tell 'em that they have got to bringthe three gentlemen back safe and sound, even if it means that some ofthem is going to lose the number of their mess, and that means this too,that if Mr Spanish skipper don't play his game fair--well then--"

  The skipper ceased speaking, and screwed up his lips very tightly justin the light shed by the swinging lantern.

  "Well, captain," put in Rodd, who felt rather amused at what he calledthe fuss the skipper was making, "why don't you finish what you weregoing to say?"

  "Because I didn't think it was needed, my lad," was the reply. "What Imeant was, that if the doctor here didn't think it was his duty to givethat yellow chap a very strong dose, one of my lads would."

  The doctor was in as high glee the next morning as the two lads, and, itmight be added with justice, the nine sailors who were to form theircrew, for to a man they were bubbling over with excitement and delight.

  The moment they had heard that they were to go they began making theirpreparations; all their weapons were already in a perfect state ofcleanliness, and shone as much as hands could make them, but everypistol and gun-lock was carefully re-oiled, every flint taken out andtightly replaced, while the blades of their cutlasses, that literallyglittered, had a final touch given to them and the edges passed alongthe grindstone, which was sent spinning round in the little armoury ashard as it could go.

  The skipper himself spent half the night with the steward, packingprovisions, Joe Cross helping, for though he was to be coxswain of theboat, he said he came in there, for after the cook he held that he knewmore about cooking "wittles" than any fellow in the ship, and this wasacknowledged without dissent, though one of the men did say that JoeCross took more than his share, since in addition to other duties he hadthe canisters of gunpowder in charge.

  The morning was glorious, the sun and the early breeze soon chasing awaythe river mist, and before the tide had turned, everything was ready,the well-stored boat alongside, and an awning rigged up over theafter-part big enough not merely to act as a screen for the gentlemen,but to shade those who were not rowing, while they were having theirrest, while by a little addition the boat's sail could be spread overthe little unshipped mast and used as a covering from the night dewswhen the boat was moored somewhere to the bank after the day's work wasdone.

  "There, gentlemen," said the skipper, "I think that's about as near aswe can get it; but I don't see no sign of your Spanish guide as yet. Itseems to me as if every one yonder is asleep. Here, you, Joe Cross, Iknowed there'd be something. You've forgotten that screwdriver and thelittle bottle of oil."

  "That I aren't, sir! They're in the fore-locker in the little bag oftools."

  "Good," grunted the skipper; "and I suppose you'll help the doctor andyoung Mr Rodd skin the birds they shoot?"

  "That's right, sir, and Mr Rodd's been laying down the law to me totake care and keep that there soapy stuff covered over as he dresses theinside of the skins with, 'cause he says it's pison."

  The skipper grunted again as he stood at the side and scowled down intothe boat.

  "Spun yarn?" he said sharply.

  "P
lenty, sir."

  "But you lads never thought to give your jack-knives a whet, I'll bebound."

  Joe Cross turned to the crew.

  "Show knives, lads!" he shouted. "The skipper wants to try them all onhis beard."

  "Steady!" growled the skipper. "That's right, then. Well, Mr Rodd,"he continued, "I suppose everything's all right. No; where's that thereextra coil of new signal line?"

  "Starn locker, sir," said Joe.

  "And an extra line with new grapnel?"

  "Fore-locker, sir," said Joe.

  The captain grunted.

  "Here, get the grapnel out of the jolly-boat and lash it under one ofthe thwarts. You might lose one again."

  "There it is, sir," said Joe--"lashed just amidships out of the way."

  "Come, come, captain," said the doctor good-humouredly as he took offhis straw hat and wiped his moist brow, for he too had been as busy asthe rest, "you have had your innings; I want to have mine. You, Rodney,you never thought to see that the quinine bottle in the little leathermedicine chest was re-filled."

  "Rammed it in tight, uncle," said the boy triumphantly, "and saw to allthe other bottles."

  "Then," said the doctor, "we'll say all is ready. Only look here, mylads; I'll give you half-an-hour before we start, so you had better godown below and have some more breakfast, for it will be a good manyhours before we have another meal."

  No one stirred.

  "Well," said the doctor impatiently, "did you hear what I said?"

  This time a low murmur ran through the crew, and Joe Cross took a stepforward and touched his hat.

  "Beg pardon, sir," he said; "the lads' respects, and they says they'reall tight, cargo well stowed."

  "Then you don't want the extra half-hour?" said the doctor, looking athis watch. "So there's nothing to do, then, my dear Count, and you,Captain Chubb, but for us to shake hands and say good-bye."

  "Where's your guide?" grunted the captain.

  "Ah, where's our guide?" said the doctor, looking in the direction ofthe Spanish three-master. "He said at the turn of the tide. I ought tohave asked him to come here to breakfast."

  "Here he comes, uncle," cried Rodd, for at that moment the head of theSpaniard's boat was rowed out from the other side of the anchoredvessel, which might have been quite deserted, for not a head was to beseen.

  "Hah!" cried the doctor. "I like that. It tells well for his being atrustworthy guide. So now good-bye, Count. Your son's mine till wecome back."

  The Count mastered his desire to embrace the doctor, and grasped hishand in regular English fashion, and by the time the Spaniard's littlegig, rowed by two men, had come alongside, the last farewell had takenplace with the captain, who then looked over the rail and grunted out--

  "Coming aboard, senor?"

  "No, no; but just one word. I have been talking to my crew, and toldthem they are to take their orders from you till I come back. Theywon't give you any trouble. Let them smoke and sleep as much as theylike."

  "All right," growled the skipper. "When shall we see you back?"

  "When your senor likes," said the Spaniard, lighting a fresh cigarettefrom the one which had threatened to burn his moustache. "I take theboat as far up into the forest along the little rivers till he tells meto turn back, and then we will begin to row or sail the other way."

  A few minutes later the French crew of the brig, and the men of theschooner who were to stay and help the carpenter and his mate, stoodready to give a farewell cheer. The travellers were on the boat, therowers in their places, with their oars held upright ready to drop intothe rowlocks, the little sail rolled round the mast was lying ready foruse if a breeze sprang up, and Joe Cross stood right forward, boat-hookin hand, looking as smart as the rest of the crew, that is to say, justas if they had stepped off a man-of-war's deck, and then every onewell-armed, ready for the attack upon any wild creatures theyencountered, or for the defence of their lives against an enemy, waitedfor the skipper to give the signal to start, which he did at last byraising his hand.

  Then, as the boat was pushed off into the now rising tide, a mingledFrench and English cheer arose, full of good wishes, while of theSpaniard's crew not a man was visible save the two in the captain'sboat, who had just reached the three-master's stern and had begun tomake fast.

  The cheer was repeated as the Devon boat, in obedience to the dipping ofthe oars, glided farther out into mid-stream, while directly after therewas a heavy swirl just beneath her bows, followed by the suddenprotrusion of the huge grinning head of a fierce crocodile, the monsterbent on mischief, and receiving a most unexpected salute, for Joe Crosswas standing balancing his boat-hook in his hands, ready to lay it downalong the thwart, but, quick almost as lightning, he gave it a twirl ashe rested one foot upon the gunwale and drove it, harpoon fashion, crashinto the reptile's head.

  "He's got it!" cried the man, as he started back; but he did not escapethe shower of water that was sent flying over the boat, the crocodilevigorously lashing the surface with its serrated tail as it floatedastern.

  "Yes," said the Spanish captain quietly, "but you had better shoot them,_senores_, and keep a little back from the side. There's plenty of themup the river, and one of you might get swept out of the boat."