CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.
"Master Carey, sir!" came through the broken skylight. "Hear that?Hadn't we better begin first?"
"Wait a minute," replied Carey, who was trembling with excitement,brought on by the responsibilities of his new position. "Let me speakto Doctor Kingsmead."
Bostock grunted, and the boy turned to the wounded man.
"Did you hear what this wretch said?" he asked.
The doctor pressed the hand which took his, but made no reply in hisutter exhaustion, and Carey drew back uttering a sigh, as much from painas anxiety.
"It's no use," he muttered, "there's no help for it. I've got to do itall."
"Big Dan go mumkull ebberybody?" asked Jackum, quietly, and as if it wasall a matter of course.
"No, no," cried Carey, angrily. "I'd soon kill him."
"Ha!" cried the black out of the darkness, for it was night now, withthe black's figure just visible in the flames from the shore. "No killJackum?"
"Not I," cried Carey. "Here, let me come by."
He thrust the black aside, and went under the broken light.
"Look here, Bob," he cried. "Can that old wretch blow up the ship?"
"Well, sir, that's what I've been thinking. It's all very well to sayyou'll do a thing, but it aren't always easy, you see."
"But is the powder magazine close by where he's lying?"
"That's what I want to know, sir?"
"Don't you know?"
"No, sir; and that sets me a-thinking, how can he know?"
"But you've belonged to the ship for years."
"Ay, sir, I jyned for the first v'y'ge."
"And you've seen her loaded."
"That's so, sir."
"And you don't know where the powder magazine is?"
"Well, sir, to speak quite fair and honest, I don't."
"Isn't that strange?"
"Sounds so, sir, but 'tween you and me I don't b'lieve there is anypowder magazine. The old _Soosan_ aren't a man-o'-war."
"No, of course not."
"She aren't got no great guns like we had aboard the _Conkhooroar_.What do we want with a powder magazine?"
"But there is a gun on deck."
"Tchah! A little brass pop-shot, to make signals with. The skipper hadgot some charges for her, and a few boxes o' cartridges in a locker; butI don't believe there's even the ghost of a magazine."
"Then it's all an empty threat, Bob."
"I don't say that, my lad, because though I never heard o' one there'sroom for half a dozen. All I say is, it aren't likely. Only I don'twant you if we are blowed to bits to pull yourself together afterwards,and come and blame me."
"No fear, Bob," said Carey, speaking with some confidence now.
"You see, sir, that old ruffian says that he'll blow the old _Soosan_up, and it may be solemn truth, and same time it may be only gammon; butit makes a man feel anxious like and think o' our raft and thewhale-boat Old King Cole come in, and think he'd rather be aboard one o'them than stopping here."
"Retreating to the boat, Bob?"
"Yes, sir, or else chancing it, and that last aren't pleasant. I thinkwe ought to say, `Look here, my fine fellow, two can play at that gameo' yours,' and get a tin o' powder, put a bit o' touch paper through theneck, set light to it, and chuck it down the stairs and blow him tosmithereens first."
"And explode the magazine ourselves if there is one?" cried Carey.
"Well, I _ham_ blessed!" cried Bostock. "I never thought o' that!Anyone would think I was an Irishman."
"If I'm to take the lead now, Bob, I won't have any talk of murder likethat."
"But it aren't murder, sir; it's on'y fair fight; tit for him beforeit's tat for us. Not as we need argufy, because it wouldn't be safe totry that game. Oughtn't we to take to the boat, sir?"
"How can we, Bob?" cried Carey, angrily. "You wouldn't go and leave thedoctor?"
"Nay, sir, that I wouldn't. I shouldn't call a chap a man who'd go anddo a thing like that. We should take him with us."
"Hoist him with ropes through that broken skylight! Why, it would killhim."
"Well, Jackum and me we'd carry him out o' the s'loon door, sir. We'dbe werry careful."
"Pish! You know that the old ruffian commands the staircase, and heshot both Jackum and me when we were there. He'd riddle you both withbullets, and perhaps quite kill Doctor Kingsmead."
"Well, sir, he's riddling of me now, sir; I dunno what to say; on'y itdon't seem nat'ral to stand still and be blown up in a splosion, whenyou might get away. Ha! I have it, sir. S'pose I get the boat roundunder the cabin window, and you and Jackum shove the doctor out andlower him down. What d'yer say to that?"
"Nonsense!" cried Carey, impatiently. "I don't understand wounds much--no, not a bit; but from what the doctor said I'm sure if we tried tomove him he'd bleed to death."
"That settles it, sir, then; you and me's got to stay. But look yehere, Master Carey; they say it's best in a splosion to lie down flattill it's over. Ah, there he goes again. It's coming now."
For Mallam's voice was heard once more, roaring for Bostock.
"No; he will not fire the magazine till he has had another talk to you."
"Think not, sir? I were reading in the _Mariner's Chronicle_ thatpirates always blows up their ships when things go again 'em, and he'snothing better than a pirate, say what you will."
There was a savage roar from the beachcomber, and as Bostock hurriedalong the quarter-deck and descended to the cabin entrance two shotswere fired in rapid succession.
"Big Dan go mumkull--kill a feller," whispered Jackum, as the exchangeof words came to where they stood listening.
"Drop that! D'yer hear?" roared Bostock. "Drop it, before I come andfinish you off."
"Yes; come!" snarled Mallam.
"I've a big mind to, you cowardly old thief. I want to pay you for thatcrack on the head you give me from behind."
"Come down, then, you sneaking hound. Where's that doctor?"
"Too bad to move, with your cowardly shooting."
"Wish I'd killed him," growled Mallam.
"You've bit your own ugly red nose off in revenge of your face. Ifyou're waiting for the doctor to come and put you right you'll have towait a couple o' months; and then if he's a bit like me he'll finish youoff out of the way."
"Are you going to send him down?"
"No; I aren't going to send him down; but I tell you what I will do--ifyou don't hand up that revolver I'll pitch a lanthorn down alight so asto get a good aim at you, and then I'll give you two barrels o' this."
There was a few minutes' silence, and then the beachcomber began again.
"Send that Black Jackum down to me. Where's he been all this time?"
"Keeping out of your reach, you old madman," growled Bostock.
"You send him down."
As Carey listened it became plain to him that no matter how defectivethe black was in speech he understood pretty well every word that wassaid, for a firm sinewy hand was laid upon the lad's arm and the mansaid softly, "Jackum won't go. Want 'top 'long you. Big Dan mumkullJackum."
There were a couple more random shots fired, eliciting raging threatsfrom Bostock, and then the old sailor came back to the light.
"How's the doctor, sir?" he said.
"Sleeping heavily."
"Good job too, sir," said the old sailor, with a sigh. "Wish I could goto sleep and never know what's going on. Come much easier to be blowedup when one didn't expect it. Wonderful how cowardly a man feels whenhe knows that there's a lot o' gunpowder as may go off any moment justunder his feet."
"But you must see, Bob," said Carey, softly, "that it's only a bit ofbragging. He can't blow up the ship."
"Think not, sir?"
"I feel sure of it."
"Ah, I wish I could feel like that, sir," sighed Bostock. "Youwouldn't, though, if you come up on deck and heard how he's going on."
"I can hear every word, Bob, and so can Jacku
m."
"Jackum? Ah, I 'most forgot him. I say, sir, his brothers, or whateverthey are, seem to be carrying on a nice game, over yonder. P'raps it's'cause they feel that they're safe enough. They've got a thumping bigfire, and they're dancing round it like a lot o' little children playingat may-pole. Seems to me, sir, that these here blacks grow up to bechildren, and then they makes a fresh start; their bodies go on growinglike anything, but their brains stops still and never grows a day older.Hark, there he goes again."
"What, Mallam?"
"Yes, sir; you can hear him talking to himself as you stand at the topo' the stairs listening. He was at it when I was there, and he's at itagain."
"What is he doing?" whispered Carey.
"Seems to me, sir, as if he's tearing a way through a bulkhead so as toget a clear opening to the powder barrels."
"If there are any," said Carey, sharply. "O' course, sir; that's what Imean. Hear that?"
Yes, Carey had heard that--a sharp cracking tearing sound as of woodsplitting and snapping, and as the sounds continued it was easy enoughfor the listeners in the dark to imagine what was going on, and that theold beachcomber was preparing his mine.
"Here, Jackum," said Carey, in a sharp whisper.
There was a quick movement, and the black squatted beside the lad.
"You had better go ashore and join your men."
"Jackum men? Jackum boys."
"Yes, go and join them."
"Jackum 'top 'long o' Car-ee boy."
"No, it is not safe. You must go. Big Dan is going to shoot powder andkill."
"Big Dan shoot big gun; mumkull eberybody?"
"Yes; be off while you can."
"Car-ee boy come too?"
"No, I am going to stay here with the doctor."
"Jackum 'top 'long doc-tor too."
"But it is bad. Big Dan mumkull--kill. Shoot powder."
"Jackum don't care fig," said the man, nonchalantly. "Jackum baal wantbe mumkull."
"But you will be killed if you stop," said Carey, excitedly.
The black laughed softly.
"Jackum be mumkull, Jackum 'top? Car-ee no kill Jackum. Like Jackumlots. Give Jackum ticky-ticky."
"You don't understand," cried Carey. "Big Dan will kill us all if westop."
"Hey? Big Dan brokum."
"Going to shoot. Powder--gun."
"Ho!" exclaimed the black, who seemed now to have some idea of therebeing danger. "Car-ee no 'top. Come 'long shore. Eat snake."
"No," said Carey. "You go; I must stop with the doctor."
"Doctor not go," said the black, thoughtfully. "Hole in leggum. Jackumwon't go. 'Top 'long o' Car-ee."
"Better give it up as a bad job, sir," said Bostock, from the light."He means he won't go away and leave you. They're rum chaps, theseblack fellows, when they take to a man."
"Because they won't leave me, Bob?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then some white fellows are as queer, don't you think so?"
Bostock chuckled, but made no reply.
"Bob," said Carey, suddenly, "it is quite plain, isn't it, that we can'tmove the doctor?"
"Well, sir, I s'pose so."
"Then it is impossible for me to leave him. If there is an explosion Ihope and pray that we two may escape."
"What about me, then, sir?"
"You will go to the boat directly with Jackum. I shall make him go."
"Right, sir, and wait in the boat till the ship blows up. And some dayif I get away from here and reach Brisbane and your father comes to meand says, `Where's my boy?' I ups and says, `He wouldn't leave thedoctor, sir, who was lying bad, having been shot; so me and a blackfellow takes to the boat and rows half a mile away so's to be out o'reach o' the falling bits when the _Soosan_ blew up as she did; and awerry beautiful sight it was.' Then he says to me, he says--Yah! I'mblessed if I know what he'd say; all I knows is that I aren't going tomeet him; not me, my lad; I'd sooner have a blow up from the _Soosan_than one from him."
"Bob," said Carey, softly, "I wish I could reach up and shake hands withyou."
"Well, so you can, dear boy," said the old sailor, huskily. "Thankye,my lad. Go and sneak away at a time like this? I'm made of a differentbit o' stuff to that. I say, lookye here, Master Carey; I bleeve it'sall flam and bunkum. He aren't got no magazine to fire, or else hearen't got no pluck to do it. There won't be no blow up, and we'rea-going to face it with a bit o' British waller, eh?"
"Yes, Bob, we must face it," replied Carey.
"That's right, sir; then we'll do it comf'table and like men. Lookyehere, my lad, you must be 'bout starving."
"Starving, Bob? I had not thought of it," said the boy, sadly.
"Then I'll think for you. I say you must have something, and so must I.Fellow's engine won't work without coal. Hi! Jackum! Something toeat?"
The black bounded to his side.
"Jackum want eat. Baal hab bit snakum."
"More you did, Sootie; but you shall have something better. Comealong."
"Car-ee come 'long too."
"No," said Carey; "I'll stop here."
"Car-ee come. Doc-tor farss 'sleep. Big Dan brokum. Sit alonga longtime. Baal fetch um too much drinking grog. Old man no good."
"Go along with Bob."
"Go alonga Cookie now?"
"Yes, and he'll give you plenty."
"Plenty eat. Jackum come back soon."
Bostock reached down his hand, but the help was not needed, the blackspringing up and rapidly making his way on deck, where he stood for afew moments gazing across the lagoon, stained blood-red now by the bigfire; and he laughed softly.
"Black fellow eat plenty snakum. Jackum eat plenty now. Sit alongaself."
A few minutes later he was happily sitting on the deck by the galley"alonga self," eating half the overdone bird which Bostock had givenhim, while the old sailor had roughly prepared the most tempting partfor his young companion and taken it to the saloon skylight.
"Here you are, Master Carey," he said. "Brought your coals. How's theking?"
"I have heard him groan several times."
"That's because he's low-sperrited, sir, because he didn't quite mumkullme and the doctor. But I say, sir, he's a long time blowing up theship. Got it, sir? That's right! You'd better eat it in the dark, forfear he might crawl up a few steps if he saw a light, and want to passthe time practising his shooting. Now, no gammon, sir."
"What do you mean, Bob?"
"You'll eat that bit?"
"I don't feel as if I can."
"But you must, dear lad. It's to make you strong to help the doctor,and mebbe to shoot straight again' Old King Cole."
"I will eat it, Bob."
"Right, sir! That's British pluck, that is. How's your chesty now?"
"Very bad, Bob."
"Then sorry I am. Next time the doctor begins to talk you ups and askshim what he's got in his medsome chest as is good for it. I say,though, I s'pose it's no use to try and coax the doctor with a mossickof anything, is it?"
"Oh no, no."
"Not a cup o' tea and a bit o' toast?"
"Not now, Bob; he's sleeping calmly, and that must be the best thing forhim."
"Right, sir. It's Natur's finest fizzick, as well I know. There, I'llgo and have a snap myself, for it's the middle o' the night, and Ihaven't had a bite since breakfast."
There was silence then, and Carey thought the man had stolen softlyaway; so he was trying to keep his promise, though the first effort hemade to partake of the food gave him intense pain. Then he started, forBostock said softly:
"He's pretty quiet now, sir; I hope he aren't hatching any noo tricksagain' us. Tell you what it is; I'm going down to him to-morrow with amattress to see if I can't smother him down till I've got his shootingirons away. We shan't feel safe till that's done. My word! I shouldlike to chain him up in the cable tier till we could hand him over tothe 'Stralian police."
"Yes," said
Carey, gravely. "Bob, that's the most sensible thing I'veheard you say."
"Is it, sir? Then I'll go and give myself a bit o' supper after that.Are you eating?"
"I'm trying to, Bob."
"Trying's half the battle, sir. There, now I am off."
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
The dreary hours crawled along, and it seemed to Carey that he wassuffering from a long-drawn weary nightmare, made up of his own pain, asigh or two at times from the doctor and restless movements, groans, andthreats and cursings from the beachcomber.
It was a horrible night, for the boy, in addition to his other troubles,felt as if he were somehow to blame for the sufferings of the wretchedman below.
Lying there in agony with broken legs! It was horrible, and the boycould not have suffered more if he had himself been the victim of theaccident.
But there were breaks in the misery of that long dark night. Bostockwas soon back, announcing that his head was two sizes larger than usual,but that he was all the better for his supper, and ready for anythingnow.
He told the watcher, too, that the black fellows ashore were stillkeeping up their fire, stopping probably to eat sometimes, but at othersre-making the fire till it blazed again, and playing in the bright lightat "Here we go round the mulberry bush."
But the little incident that gave Carey the most satisfaction was thatsoon after Bostock's return to his post at the skylight there was a softrustling, a light thud on the floor, and directly after the blacksquatted down close by where the lad was seated, and, though he couldnot make out his figure, he felt sure that the Australian was watchinghim with the dumb patience of a dog.
"That you, Jackum?" he said, softly, and he stretched out his hand, tofind it touched the black's rough head, which seemed to press itselfinto his palm.
"Iss. Jackum eat big lot. 'Top here now. Car-ee go sleep."
The boy sighed, and then there was silence till he spoke again.
"Will the black fellows come back soon?" he said, as he thought of theidea he had had about keeping them off.
"No come back. Go sleep roun' fire. 'Top all snakum eatum."
Twice over it seemed to Carey that he lost consciousness, though henever went fairly off to sleep, but sat there suffering terrible mentalpain and the burning sensation in his chest as if he were being searedwith a hot iron.
The night seemed as if it would never come to an end. Mallam had begunmuttering hoarse threats again, and at last startled all intopreparation for action by firing three times, each shot striking someplace on the upper part of the staircase, and once shivering some glass.
Then he became quiet again, and it seemed directly after that Bostocksaid:
"The blacks' fire's out, sir, and the stars are beginning to getwhitish. Be sunrise in less than an hour. I'll go and light our firenow, and as soon as the kettle boils I'll make you a cup of tea."
"Thank you, Bob," said Carey, huskily. "I shall be glad of that."
It seemed a long time to one suffering from a parched throat, and thepale light of dawn was beginning to steal in through the broken openingand the cabin ports, when there was the click of a teacup on the deck,and Jackum said softly:
"Cookey make billy boil. Car-ee tea."
_Crash_!
Down went the tray with the refreshing cup on the deck, and Bostockthrust his head through the broken light.
"Master Carey, sir, ahoy! Three cheers, and another for luck. If everthere was a sight for sore eyes it's now. Sail ho, sir, not three mileout, lying just beyond the reef. A small steamer, dear lad, as must ha'seen the fire last night."
"Help at last!" panted Carey.
"Ay, my lad, they've kept their fires banked up, and the smoke's pouringout of her funnel and hanging to leeward like a flag."
"Iss. Ship come," said Jackum, who had bounded up and inspected thevessel. "Jackum fess all aboy. Car-ee going fight him?"
"No, no," cried the boy; "they must be friends," and, utterly worn outnow, he broke down and hid his face.
"Don't do that, dear lad," whispered Bostock. "Keep it up a bit longer,for I must leave you now. Jackum and I must go off in the whale-boatand pilot them inside. Can't you keep it up just an hour more?" and theold sailor's voice shook as he spoke.
"Yes," said Carey, as his teeth grated together. "Go on."
"Right, my lad. I don't think there's anything to fear, but take mygun, and if that old ruffian does rouse up and crawl to the saloondoor--'tarn't likely, or he'd ha' been here before, but I says it, mylad, because it would be your dooty, and you must--shoot, sir; shoothim. He aren't a human man, only a something in a man's shape; amurderer, that's what he is, and you must shoot him as if he was a wildbeast. Now, Jackum, give him the gun, and come with me."
The black obeyed with alacrity, and a few minutes later Carey heard thefaint plash of oars, and sat there in the utter silence, watching thedoctor's pallid thin features, as he still slept deeply, and listeningfor the sounds from below which did not come.
It must have been close upon two hours before that silence was broken bythe sound of voices, the grating of a boat against the steamer's side,and the trampling of feet on deck.
"Jackum backum," cried the black, as he dropped down, with his faceshining with excitement.
"Ahoy there!" cried Bostock. "How goes it, my lad? Here we are.Boat's crew well armed, and we're going to have Old King Cole out beforemany more minutes are gone."
"Take care," cried Carey, excitedly. "Think of the danger. What areyou going to do?"
"Roosh him, sir, somehow or another," cried the old sailor, "and I'ma-going first."
"What! He will shoot you."
"Let him try," cried Bostock, grimly. "I aren't forgot what he did tome with one of the nigger's clubs. I've got Jackum's here, and maybe Ishall get its big knob home quicker than he can put in a shot."
Carey had no further protest ready, and he sat in agony, hardlyrealising that it was strange the various sounds had not awakened thedoctor.
But his every sense was on the strain, as he listened to a sudden rushdown past the saloon door, expectant of shot after shot from thebeachcomber's revolver.
But no shot was fired, though a revolver was fast clenched in the oldruffian's hand.
There was, however, to be no hand-cuffing and carrying off to thejustice of man, for the spirit of Dan Mallam the beachcomber had passedout that morning, as the old sailor said, with the tide.
The small steamer lying anchored close by in the lagoon had after a longand dangerous search at last achieved her purpose, having beendespatched, with Carey's father and the captain and chief officer of the_Chusan_ on board, in search of the wreck if it were still on the reef,and the meeting was a joyful one.
"I never could think you were dead, my boy," was whispered in Carey'sear; "and your dear mother always felt the same. I knew I should findyou, and I have, thank God! thank God!"
"Car-ee's ole man?" said a voice just after, and Mr Cranford turnedsharply round to stare at the shining black face.
"Yes," he said, frowning; "I am Carey's--er--old man."
"Me Jackum! You shake han'?"
"Next to Bostock and the doctor, father, my best friend," said Carey,eagerly.
"Then he is mine," said Mr Cranford.
"Here's a canoe of savages off from the island," shouted the captain ofthe _Chusan_ from the deck. "Does this mean a fight?"
"Jackum boy come back," cried the black. "No shoot; all good boy.Jackum take you Big Dan island. Plenty shell, plenty copra, plenty oldship 'tuff. Big Dan mumkull. Jackum give all Car-ee now."
But no start was made for the other portion of the King's domain, for afew days were necessary in the way of rest for the doctor; and thecaptain of the _Chusan_ and the mate had to satisfy themselves of theimpossibility of getting the vessel off. During these days, though,there were busy times, for the specie the _Chusan_ had been bearing wasall hoisted out in safety and transferred to the smaller vessel.
&nb
sp; Not much else was done save the taking on board of the pearl shells asthe freight belonging to the doctor and Carey. The pearls were alreadyin safety, and Bostock made a greater haul with the help of a chum andthe blacks from the tubs ashore.
"Twice as many as the first go, my lad," said the old sailor, rubbinghis hands, "and, I say, oughtn't you and the doctor to lay claim to whatwe're a-going to find?"
"No," said Carey, "and besides, we have not found it yet. If there ismuch worth having it will go, I should think, to the company that ownsthe _Chusan_. But we shall see."
Carey Cranford saw the great treasures in pearls, pearl shell, andvaluables collected from wrecked vessels in the course of some twentyyears, during which Dan Mallam had reigned paramount in a lonely islandoff the north-west coast of Australia, for Jackum piloted the steamerthere in triumph, and looked proud of his achievement, while he pointedout everything he thought of value to Carey, and could not understandthe lad's hanging back from helping himself to articles he did not want.
The steamer was nearly laden with valuable pearl shell and the boxes ofpearls hoarded up by the old beachcomber, who was supposed to haveescaped from Norfolk Island with a party of his fellows who had allpassed away.
These must have been enough, with their insurance, to quite compensatethe company for their loss. In fact, voyage after voyage was made tothe _Chusan_ and to Jackum's island during the following twelve monthson salvage business, and with excellent results.
But we have nothing to do with that. It is enough to state that theboats on the night of the wreck had been carried in safety to a westernAustralian port; that the doctor rapidly began to mend; that Carey'sinjured chest was doctored by a sick man; and that Jackum wanted badlyto follow the young adventurer when the time came for saying good-bye,and was only stopped by its being impressed upon him that he was King ofPearl Island now, and was to go on collecting till Carey came to see himsome day on a voyage with his father, to trade for all his copra, shell,and pearls.
Jackum nodded and grinned.
"Get big lot. You come some day," he cried.
"Some day, Jackum, if my father will fit out a vessel."
"Iss," said Jackum. "No Big Dan. Killa feller. Mumkull eberybody.You come sit along Jackum. Jackum show Car-ee how fro boomerang nexttime. Ha, ha!"
The last Carey saw of him then was the tall black figure waving hisboomerang as he stood up in his canoe, before showing his teeth and thenhurling the weapon, to fly far after the retreating steamer, to curve upand return--to the canoe--not quite, for it dropped into the sea somefifty feet away, to be lost somewhere in the lovely submarine gardens ofthe reef along by whose side the steamer glided.
A fortnight later, with the doctor steadily gaining strength, the vesselglided into Moreton Bay. Then Brisbane was soon reached; but themessage had flown before on wire to the lonely watcher, waiting for theson she would not believe to be dead, month after month, tillthree-quarters of a year had passed.
And when the house was in sight there was a figure at an open door, andCarey dashed off, his father hanging back, while Robert Bostock,mariner, who was laden with luggage, placed it in the road, turned hisback, sat upon it, and began to fill his pipe. This done, he struck amatch, but somehow when he held it to the tobacco there was a sudden_ciss_, and the match went out.
"Now, how did that there 'bacco get wet like that?" he growled. "Dear!and she a-waiting all this time for the dear lad as didn't come. Ah,it's no use wishin', but I do wish as my old mother was alive now to dothat to me."
"Bob ahoy!" came in a cheery shout. "Come on! Never mind the things.Here's mother wants to shake your hand."
"Ahoy, sir; hand it is," shouted back the old fellow. Then in a growl,"S'pose I must go. Think on it, though; me havin' a drop o' salt waterin one eye!"
King o' the Beach: A Tropic Tale Page 25
