Facing the World
Page 11
CHAPTER XI
A SENSATIONAL SCENE
"Put that boy in irons!" repeated Captain Hill, his eyes blazing withanger.
Not a sailor stirred. There was not one that did not admire Harry'spromptness, which had saved Jack's life, and prevented the captainfrom becoming a murderer.
"Here, you two men, seize the boy, and carry him below!" exclaimed thecaptain, addressing Brown and Higgins, the two sailors nearest.
The two men looked at each other, moved a step forward, and thenstopped.
"Is this mutiny?" roared the captain, with a bloodcurdling oath. "Am Imaster in my own ship or not?"
What might have been the issue is hard to tell, had not the Yankeepassenger already referred to, Jonathan Stubbs, come forward and takenup the gauntlet.
"Look here, cap'n," he commenced, in a drawling tone, "what's all thisfuss you're kickin' up? You're kinder riled, ain't you?"
"Who are you that dare to bandy words with me? Men, do you hear me?Put that boy in irons, or must I do it myself?"
"Look here, cap'n, let's argy that matter a little," said Stubbs."What's the boy to be put in irons for?"
"For grossly insulting me, and defying my authority."
"He has prevented your committing murder, if that's what you mean. Youought to thank him."
"Take care, sir!" thundered the captain, "or I may put you in irons,also."
"I reckon you might find a little opposition," said the Yankee,quietly. "I'm a passenger on this vessel, Captain Hill, and yourauthority doesn't extend to me."
"We'll see about that, sir," said the captain, and he grasped Stubbsby the collar.
Now, the Yankee was not a heavy man, but he was very strong and wiry,and, moreover, in his early days, like Abraham Lincoln, he had beenthe best wrestler in the Vermont village in which he was born. He wasa very quiet, peaceable man, but he was accustomed to resent insult inan effective way. He wrenched himself free by a powerful effort; then,with a dexterous movement of one of his long legs, he tripped up thecaptain, who fell in a heap upon the deck. The shock, added to theeffects of his intoxication, seemed to stupefy the captain, whoremained where he fell.
"Boys," said Stubbs, coolly, to the two sailors, who had been orderedto put Harry in irons, "hadn't you better help the captain into hiscabin? He seems to be unwell."
Just then the mate came on deck. He didn't make inquiries, but took inthe situation at a glance, and assisted the captain to his feet.
"Shall I help you downstairs, sir?" he asked.
The captain silently acquiesced, and the prime actor in this ratherstartling scene left the deck.
Jack Pendleton scrambled down from his elevated perch with the agilityof a cat. He ran up to Harry, and grasped his hand with evidentemotion.
"You have saved my life!" he said. "I will always be your friend. Iwould lay down my life for you."
"It's all right, Jack," said Harry, rather shyly. "You would have donethe same for me."
"Yes, I would," answered Jack, heartily, "But there's no one else whowould have done it for me."
"Are you going to leave me out, my boy?" asked the Yankee, with asmile on his plain but good-natured face.
"No, sir," responded Jack. "You stood up to the captain like a man. Hedidn't frighten you."
"No, I wasn't much scared," drawled Stubbs, contorting his featuresdrolly. "But, I say, young man, I've got a piece of advice to giveyou. You don't seem to be much of a favorite with the captain."
"It doesn't look so," said Jack, laughing in spite of the dangerthrough which he had passed.
"Just you keep out of his way as much as you can. When a man gets asfull as he does, he's apt to be dangerous."
"Thank you, sir; I will."
Among the spectators of the scene just described, the mostpanic-stricken, probably was Montgomery Clinton, the Brooklyn dude.
After the captain had gone below, he walked up to Harry, whom heregarded with evident admiration.
"I say, you're quite a hero. I was awfully frightened, don't you know,when that big bully aimed at the sailor boy."
"You looked a little nervous, Mr. Clinton," said Harry, smiling.
"You were awfully brave, to knock the pistol out of his hand. I don'tsee how you dared to do it."
"I didn't stop to think of danger. I saw that Jack's life was indanger, and I did the only thing I could to save him."
"I'm glad you're not put in irons. It must be awful to be in irons."
"I don't think I should like it, though I never had any experience.You'd have stood by me, wouldn't you, Mr. Clinton?"
Clinton was evidently alarmed at the suggestion.
"Yes, of course," he said, nervously; "that is, I would have gone downto see you on the sly. You wouldn't expect me to fight the captain,don't you know."
Harry could hardly refrain from smiling at the idea of thespindle-shaped dude resisting the captain; but he kept a straight faceas he answered:
"I look upon you as a brave man, Mr. Clinton. When I get into trouble,I shall be sure to call upon you."
"Oh, certainly," stammered Clinton. "But I say, Mr. Vane, I hopeyou'll be prudent; I do, really. Captain Hill might shoot you, youknow, as he tried to shoot the sailor boy just now."
"If he does, Mr. Clinton, I shall expect you to interfere, You are notas strong as the captain, but a bold front will go a great way. If youthreaten to--to horsewhip him, I think it might produce an effect uponhim."
"Really, my dear Mr. Vane," said Clinton, turning pale, "I don't thinkI could go as far as that."
"I thought you were my friend, Mr. Clinton," said Harry,reproachfully.
"So I am, but I think you are, too--too bloodthirsty, Mr. Vane. It isbest to be prudent, don't you know. There's that Yankee, Mr. Stubbs;he would do a great deal better than I. He's stronger, and older,and--you'd better speak to him, don't you know."
"A very good suggestion, Mr. Clinton," said Harry.
"I am afraid I should fare badly," thought our hero, "if I dependedupon Clinton to stand by me. He isn't of the stuff they make heroesof."
Twenty-four hours passed before Captain Hill reappeared on deck.Meanwhile Harry had received congratulations from all the passengerson his display of pluck, and from some of the sailors besides. Infact, if he had not been a sensible boy, he might have been in dangerof being spoiled by praise. But he answered, very modestly, that hehad only acted from impulse, actuated by a desire to save Jack, andhad not had time to count the consequences.
"I'll stand by you, my lad," said Hirman Stubbs. "The captain may tryto do you wrong, but he will have somebody else to reckon with--Iwon't see you hurt."
"Thank you, Mr. Stubbs," said Harry, heartily. "I know the value ofyour help already. Mr. Clinton also is willing to stand by me, thoughhe says he don't want to get into a fight with the captain."
"Clinton! That spindle-legged dude!" said Stubbs, exploding withlaughter. "My! he couldn't scare a fly."
Harry laughed, too. He could not help doing so.
"He seems a good fellow, though not exactly a hero," he said. "I amglad to have his good will."
"He is more of a tailor's dummy than a man," said Stubbs. "I alwayswant to laugh when I look at him. Hist! there's the captain."
Harry turned quickly toward the companionway, and saw Captain Hill setfoot on the deck. A glance satisfied him that the captain was sober.