Dutch the Diver; Or, A Man's Mistake

by George Manville Fenn

  STORY ONE, CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

  THE PROTECTORS OF THE TREASURE.

  That night passed away quietly enough, after a discussion as to futureproceedings, when it had been decided to leave Sam Oakum to his owndevices; for they were so solely dependent upon his success that itwould have been folly to interfere.

  "It was easy enough at Ramwich to talk about sweeping the sea till wefound what we sought," said Mr Parkley, dolefully; "but now we are hereit seems as if we might hunt for our lifetimes without success."

  "And yet that scoundrel discovered the old wrecks," said Dutch, firmly."What one man has done another can do. For my part, now we are out uponthe adventure, I mean to stop till we succeed."

  Mr Parkley patted him on the back, and looked up smilingly at him; andDutch's words seemed to impart spirit to all present.

  Sam Oakum had insisted upon taking the first watch, declaring that hewas not tired, and wanted to think; and the consequence was that the sunwas well up before he put in an appearance on deck after his breakfast.

  "Now, Oakum," said Captain Studwick, rather impatiently, "what do youpropose doing? Shall we up anchor and run along the coast a little way,and then anchor and have a fresh search?"

  Sam did not reply, for he had his cake of tobacco in one hand and hisknife in the other, and he was going to take a piece off for his morningrefreshment. But knife and cake remained unemployed as his attentionseemed fixed by something ashore. Then the cake was thrust back intoone pocket, the knife closed with a snap and thrust back into the other,and he took a glance round.

  The ship was now swinging in a different direction to that which it hadoccupied on the previous day, and this seemed to puzzle Sam for themoment. The tide was low, too, and that made a difference in thesurroundings--rocks standing clear of the water that were invisiblebefore, and there was a ravine opened out that was not visible on theprevious day.

  "She's dragged her anchor a bit, hasn't she?" said Sam, at last.

  "No," said the captain, "we were too close to those rocks, so I up withthe anchor this morning, and let her drift a couple of hundred yardsbefore dropping it again."

  "Just hand us that double-barrel spyglass o' yourn, Mr Pugh, will youplease?" said Oakum quietly; and when he had set it to the right focusfor his eyes, he took a long look at the shore, shut the glass up,returned it, sat down on the deck, and taking out his tobacco and knifehewed off a good piece of the hard cake, and thrust it into his mouthwithout a word.

  "Well, Mr Oakum," said the captain, at last, with a look of annoyanceon his face, "what is to be done next?"

  "Send forrard for 'Pollo," said Sam, coolly.

  The captain gave an impatient stamp, but turning to the mulatto, who wasby the bulwark, sent him for the black cook.

  "You want me, sah?" exclaimed 'Pollo, showing his white teeth.

  "So I do, 'Pollo," said Sam, borrowing the glass again from Dutch, and,after focussing it, placing it flat on the bulwarks, and bringing it tobear on some object ashore. "Now, come here, 'Pollo," he continued;"stoop down and take a squint through this here glass, and tell us whatyou see."

  'Pollo stooped down to look through the glass.

  "Not that way, you lubber," cried Sam. "What are you shutting one eyeup for? Don't you see it's a double spyglass?"

  "Oh, yes, sah--I see, sah," said 'Pollo, bending down for another look.

  "Now you're a-shutting up tother eye," cried Sam, sharply.

  "Was I, sah? Well, so I tink I was. Now, den, I try bofe opentogedder. Dat's him; I see beauful now. All de lubbly trees shinin' inde sun, and four big long trees lie down top o' one anoder. All blowdown by de wind."

  "And what's that, 'Pollo?" cried Sam, giving him a slap on the back, ashe pointed to a rock lying under the shade of a point right aft.

  "Dat am de rock like de wet monkey, Mass' Oakum, sah. Dere, genelmen, Itell you I find de place easy 'nough."

  "Don't you think it might be me as has found it?" said Sam, with a grimlaugh. "There, gentlemen, I couldn't answer for those trees being blowndown by a hurricane. I looked out for them to take my bearings, andthey were gone. I must have seen the rock, too, at low water."

  "Then you think we are near the place?" cried Dutch, eagerly.

  "Well, sir," said Oakum coolly, "I won't be too cocksure to a foot ortwo in a few thousand miles; but if the capen here will send out a kedgeanchor in the boat, and drop it about a dozen fathoms towards that rockto port there, and haul upon it till the schooner's bowsprit pynts deadfor them two rocks, so as we has them in a line, I'll eat my hat if weain't right over some part or other of the old wreck."

  A dead silence ensued for a few moments as if every man's breath wastaken away, and then giving his orders sharply a little anchor waslowered down into the jolly-boat; and to Mr Jones was given the task ofcarrying out the manoeuvre. This was soon done--the anchor dropped overthe boat's side with a splash, taking firm hold directly, and then thehawser was hauled upon by the men on board, till the position of theschooner was altered so that she lay with her bowsprit pointing rightacross the two rocks indicated by Oakum.

  "That will do," the latter shouted--"not another foot. Make fast."