Alone on an Island
Page 3
CHAPTER THREE.
"It was well I thought of lashing you securely, or you would have fallenand been killed," said a voice in Humphry's ear.
Consciousness returned. He recognised Ned Hadow.
"It will be wise in you not to ask any questions, Mr Gurton," hewhispered. "Just be sure that you are wide awake, and I will cast offthe lashings. I have done the best I could for you. The men did notask you to join them because they believed you would not, nor do Ieither. I am too grateful to you for what you have done for me to wishyou to be among them. They have now possession of the ship, and intendto keep it. As we shall be at daybreak close in with the island we sawlast night, they give you your choice of being put on shore there, ortaking the oath of fidelity to them, and joining their cause. As I saidbefore, I don't suppose you will hesitate about the matter."
"Indeed I will not," answered Humphry; "whether or not the island isinhabited or means of subsistence can be found on it, I would rather beput on shore than remain an hour longer than I can help on board theship, after what I fear has taken place."
"As I said, Mr Gurton, you must ask no questions," repeated Hadow. "Iwish I could go with you, but I am sworn to stay by the rest. I wouldgive anything to be out of the ship, but it is too late now to drawback; though, as I have heard it said, that hell with sinners oftenbegins on earth, so it has begun with me. Yes, Mr Gurton, I almostwish that I had been carried off by the fever instead of living on, tobecome what I now am. I was bad enough before, but I am a thousandtimes worse now. There is no one on board I can say this to, and Icannot help saying it to you."
"Surely you could manage to come on shore with me," said Humphry. "Yourmessmates will probably release you from any oath you have taken if youwish it."
"They will not do that, sir, they will not do that," answered Hadow in adespairing tone. "I am bound hand and foot to them; their fate,whatever that is, must be mine. You must not stay up here longer. Iwill cast off the lashings now, but you must take care, as your armswill be stiff after being bound so long, that you don't fall. I willhold you till you get the use of them."
Saying this, Ned cast off the rope, and grasping Humphry round the body,assisted him to get on his legs; then, after he had stood for a minuteor two, helped him to descend the rigging.
On reaching the foretop, Hadow told him to wait there till he shouldcome for him.
"I don't want you to go among the crew," he said in a low voice. "Ihave got four men whom you looked after in their sickness, who haveagreed to pull you on shore, which we hope to reach as soon as there islight enough to land. The boat is already in the water, and we arestowing her with things which we think will be useful to you. As yousaw nothing of what happened, even should you be taken off the islandsome time or other, you cannot swear against any one. All you know isthat you were lashed in the rigging, and were put on shore the samenight before daybreak. If any one asks you questions on deck, that iswhat you must say to them--you understand me?"
Humphry replied that he did understand, and, suspecting that his safetydepended on his answer, said that he would do as Ned advised.
"Well, then, stay here till I come for you," and Ned disappeared downthe rigging.
Harry had not long to wait when he again heard his voice.
"All is ready," he whispered. "We took the bearings of the islandbefore dark, and can steer a straight course for it. Don't speak to anyone. Follow me into the boat; she is waiting under the forechains; youwill find a rope by which you can lower yourself into her."
Humphry followed Ned without ever stepping on deck, and took his seatnear him in the stern of the boat, which noiselessly shoved off from theship's side. The crew bent to their oars, while Ned steered by a boatcompass lighted by a lantern at his feet.
Humphry breathed more freely when he felt himself out of the ship. Yetwhat a fate was to be his. To be left alone on an island where he mighthave to spend long, long years, cut off from all intercourse with hisfellow-creatures. Yet anything was better than having to associate withthe wretched men on board the _Wolf_.
They soon lost sight of the ship, and the boat made her way across thedark water, the island not being yet visible ahead.
"Are they all dead, have none been spared?" asked Humphry at length, yethalf fearing to speak on the subject which occupied his thoughts.
"I told you, Mr Gurton, to ask no questions," answered Ned in a hollowvoice. "The sooner you put all thoughts of what happened last night outof your head the better. Just think of what you have got to do. Youwill have to keep your wits awake where you are going, depend on that.I wish we could stop to help you, but we have promised to be back assoon as we have landed your things. All I can tell you is, that thereis said to be water, and you will probably find cocoa-nut andbread-fruit trees, and other roots and fruits; and as we have put uplines and hooks, and a gun and ammunition, and a couple of harpoons, andlines for catching seals, it will be your fault if you do not manage tofind as much food as you want."
"But how shall I be able to live all alone by myself on the island?"said Humphry with a sigh.
"Better to be all alone than food for the sharks, I have a notion,"observed one of the men who overheard him.
Humphry made no further remark. He now felt more than ever certain thata fearful tragedy had been enacted, and that he ought to be thankful toget out of the company of the perpetrators. Yet he was sorry to leaveHadow among them, for he had observed, he thought, the signs ofsomething better in him than in his companions, rough and ignorant as hewas.
As day dawned the island appeared ahead, rising out of the blue waterwith black rocks piled one upon another, and some hills of considerableelevation. Humphry observed also a deep sandy bay between the rocks,but an encircling coral reef intervened, over which, even on that calmmorning, the sea broke in masses of foam.
They pulled along till the bay opened out more clearly, and just infront was a cascade, which came tumbling down the rocks. A narrow pieceof dark water was seen between the masses of foam which danced up oneither side of it.
"There is a passage," exclaimed Ned. "Give way, my lads, and we shallget through it without difficulty."
The men bent to their oars, and the boat, dashing between the two wallsof foam, was in a short time floating on the calm surface of a lagoon.Pulling up the bay, they reached a small sandy beach, though the darkrocks which everywhere rose up around it gave the place a gloomy aspect.
The boat was hauled up, and the men quickly landed the various articleswhich Ned had secured for Humphry's benefit.
He and Humphry searching about soon found a level spot on one side ofthe bay where the ground looked capable of cultivation.
"This will do for you, my lad," said Ned. "And as I found some papersof seed in the captain's cabin, I put them into one of the casks; thoughI don't know what they are, maybe if you sow them they will come up, andsupply you with vegetables."
The men now brought up all the things from the boat. They all wishedhim good luck and a happy life on the island, and then hurried back tothe boat.
"I only wish I could stop with you, that I do!" exclaimed Ned with somefeeling, as he wrung Humphry's hand. "I dare not say `God bless you!'but I hope He will, that I do with all my heart," and Ned ran down tojoin his companions, who were already shoving off the boat. He wouldnot have been sorry if they had gone without him.
Humphry watched them going down the bay. They passed through the reef,and pulled out to sea till the boat was lost to sight, though he coulddistinguish the ship hove to in the offing waiting for her return.