The Golden Rock Part 24

"Ay, ay, there she comes round," said the sailor d.i.c.k. In the distance a red light replaced the green, but as they watched it suddenly disappeared.

"She has gone," said Miss Anstrade, with an hysterical sob.

The Captain shook his head.

"She has put out her lights, and will hang about till morning."

"We'd better slip away, sir," said Webster.

The Captain lifted his fist, and banged it into his open hand.

"By the Lord," he growled, "I'll not leave this s.h.i.+p without a fight for it!"

The Captain, however, gave way so far to the urgent protestations of Miss Anstrade, that he abandoned any idea of placing a crew on board the derelict until daylight revealed whether there was any chance of getting clear away. Fires were kept going on board the _Swift_, a look-out was stationed on the larger vessel, and the men were sent to their berths.

Miss Anstrade retired to s.n.a.t.c.h an uneasy sleep, and the Captain, leaving Webster and Hume in charge, went also to his cabin, falling almost immediately into a sound sleep. The small hours of the night pa.s.sed anxiously to the two officers who patrolled the p.o.o.p of the _Irene_ in silence, listening for any sound that would indicate the whereabouts of the stranger. There was, however, no sign of her presence, and when the intense darkness of the night began to fade before the dawn, a thick, white, low-lying mist wrapped the s.h.i.+p as in an impenetrable cloak.

Webster, to get a view over the mist, if possible, went aloft, his figure soon becoming blurred, and after a long stay, descended rapidly.

"She is near us," he said in an excited whisper to Hume. "Waken the Captain. We could slip away without being seen."

Very soon Captain Pardoe climbed on board, and heard what his Lieutenant had to say.

"I should judge her position to be about a mile on the starboard beam, and she is steaming ahead at eight knots. If the mist doesn't lift we could easily slip her by making a nor'-west course."

"Which way is the wind? Ah! blowing across to her. She would hear us getting under way. We'll lie close awhile; but do you, meanwhile, Mr Hume, rouse the crew; see they have a nip to warm them up, and get them to their quarters quickly and in silence. Is all in readiness on board the s.h.i.+p, Mr Webster?"

"Yes, sir--except the crew."

"I'll take a look at her myself;" and the Captain went heavily into the rattlins.

There was a movement on the _Swift_ as the men presently went to their stations, and a sound of murmuring voices, followed, presently, by the rush of escaping steam from both vessels as the fires were stirred. A few minutes more, and the stranger would put himself out of hearing.

The engineer stood in readiness to set the screw in motion, and men were at hand ready to throw off the las.h.i.+ngs which moored the catcher to the _Irene_. Suddenly, however, the mist began rapidly to melt, showing in an instant almost a wide stretch of grey water.

The Captain reached the deck with a bound, just as the notes of a boatswain's whistle came faintly over the still waters from beyond the melting mist.

"She has seen us," said the Captain hoa.r.s.ely.

As he spoke, there appeared the blurred outline of a big s.h.i.+p, about a mile and a half distant, over the starboard stern, and the next instant she stood out, broadside on, just as she came round, with tall masts, and lofty sides of gleaming white.

"She has caught us, Captain," said Webster quietly; "and we could easily have got away in the night."

The Captain turned on his heels with a stormy look on his face, and walked a few steps, when he stood with his eyes bent on the deck. Then he threw his head up, gazed keenly at the cruiser, and when he faced Webster again his mind was made up.

"On board," he cried, waving his hand to the catcher, and in a moment was on the deck of the smaller s.h.i.+p.

"Madam and men," he said in his deep tones, "the s.h.i.+p we saw last night is, I fear, a cruiser of the Brazilian navy. She is near us, and if she is an enemy we are in danger. The blame is mine. I should have kept on instead of remaining to save this vessel."

Miss Anstrade made as though she would speak, but the Captain waved his hand.

"Madam--Miss Laura--no words you could say would add to the regret I feel. But there is no time. I have brought you into this peril, and please G.o.d I will deliver you. I want nine men to fight this s.h.i.+p. Who volunteers?"

There was a moment's pause as the men looked at one another, then the Quartermaster stood out.

"We are all yours, Captain; to the last man."

"Ay, ay," came the response.

A dull flush crept into the Captain's face. "Thank you, men," he said quietly; "but I want nine only. Quartermaster, select eight. Mr Hume, help Miss Anstrade on board. Mr Webster, take command of the _Irene_, and make full steam as soon as I engage the cruiser."

The men lingered reluctantly, and Miss Anstrade, with heaving breast, stood looking at the Captain.

"Quick, Mr Hume," said the Captain, and at the same moment he took Miss Anstrade by the hand and led her to the ladder. "I am very sorry," he said; then his hand was seized by a sailor, and all the men in turn wrung his hand as they pa.s.sed.

He looked round, and saw Webster standing by the engineer.

"Come, Jim, my boy," he said to the Lieutenant, "it is your duty to save Miss Anstrade."

Webster moved forward with a strange look in his face.

"Remember Loo," he said hoa.r.s.ely, "and let me stay here."

"It cannot be, my lad. Good-bye, my boy, good-bye, and tell her I did what she would expect me to. Up." He almost forced Webster to the ladder, then turned.

"Mr Dixon," he said, and looked at the engineer. "If I could spare you I would, for it's death before us."

The engineer smiled softly.

"I am not sorry, Captain," he said, "for I understand."

He took one last look round at the wide sea and crimson heavens, then his lips moved, he turned to grasp the Captain's outstretched hand, and the two men looked into one another's eyes.

A pale figure of a man slipped out of the door and made furtively for the steps.

"Mr Commins,"--the Captain's hand was laid upon his arm--"you will stay with me, for your scheming nature and coward heart have brought us to this."

Mr Commins trembled beneath the gloomy eyes turned upon him, cast one imploring look at the faces above, then, without a word, allowed the Captain to lead him to the cabin door.

The sound of a gun broke with relief upon the strained nerves of the spectators.

"Cut the moorings!"

Silently the men on the _Irene_ cut through the ropes, and the _Swift_ floated free.

There was another sullen report, and a sh.e.l.l tore through the tall rigging of the _Irene_.

The big, white cruiser, with a cloud of smoke hanging about her sides, was leisurely steaming up about half a mile distant, and there was no question of her nature, nor of the ferocity of her commander, who could ruthlessly open fire for sheer devilment on a defenceless s.h.i.+p, for the _Swift_ was up to the present completely hidden.

What must have been the astonishment of her people when, following their last shot, there broke from the blockade-runner a murmur of cheering as every soul on board cracked his throat in sending up a loud hurrah for the _Swift_ and her gallant crew; and when, immediately afterwards, there shot out from the shadow of the _Irene_ a long, low grey craft.

When the hunter, coming upon the dead quarry he had wounded earlier in the day, suddenly discovers, crouching behind, the striped body of the tiger, his feeling of dismay, perhaps, would be the same.