Dick Cheveley Part 22

"What s.h.i.+p is that? Where do you come from? How many days out?"

The captain answered the questions through his speaking-trumpet as we glided by. We at length came to an anchor about a mile from the city of Rio de Janeiro, in one of the most beautiful and picturesque harbours in the world. I can't stop to describe it, or the fine-looking city, or the curiously-shaped boats filled with black, brown, and white people, though the whites were decidedly in the minority; indeed some of them could be only so called by courtesy. To our disappointment no one was allowed to go on sh.o.r.e. The captain and second mate almost immediately took a country boat and pulled for the landing-place.

"I suppose they intend to send us off some grub," said old Growles, in a voice loud enough for them to hear; but they took no notice, and pulled on. We waited in anxious expectation for the arrival of the provisions, but no boats appeared. It looked very much as if the captain had forgotten our necessities. At last a small one came alongside with fruit and vegetables, which those who had money eagerly purchased. I had a few s.h.i.+llings remaining in my pocket, but Mark had nothing, and I insisted on buying enough for him and myself. Mark declined taking them from me, saying he could do very well without them; but I pressed him, and we discussed a couple of dozen oranges between us. How delicious they tasted! We both felt like different creatures. Those of the crew who had money were put into much better humour, but the rest were more sulky than ever.

In the evening the boats brought off some fresh water, but no provisions. When the captain came on board at night we learnt that he had refused to purchase any, on account of their high price. Whether this was the case or not I don't know, but it made the men very angry.

Next day he went on sh.o.r.e again, returning in the afternoon with four gentlemen, whom we heard were going as pa.s.sengers round to Columbia River, in North America.

We soon found, from hearing them speak, that they were Scotch, and of this I had no doubt when I learned their names, which were McTavish, McDonald, McKay, and Fraser. Their vessel had been wrecked off Cape Frio, and notwithstanding the character borne by Captain Longfleet, they were glad to have an opportunity of continuing their voyage in the "Emu." Just before daybreak a small boat came alongside with fruit and vegetables; but they were all for the cabin, and the crew were none the better for them.

Next morning we sailed at daybreak with a land wind, followed by three or four other vessels, some bound round Cape Horn, others to cross the Atlantic. They were still in sight when it came on to blow very hard.

In a short time a sea got up which made the s.h.i.+p tumble about in a way I had not experienced since I had been down in the hold. The captain stood on, wanting to keep ahead of the other vessels. The topmasts bent like willow wands, and every moment looked as if they would go over the sides. We carried on, however, until it was nearly dark, when he ordered the hands aloft to reef sails. I had not as yet been ordered to perform this duty, but Mark was as active as any one. He and Tom were on the lee fore-topsail yard-arm. Two reefs had already been taken in when the sail had to be closely reefed. It was now quite dark. The operation was being performed, when there was a cry from forward of "A man overboard!" To round the s.h.i.+p to might have been hazardous; but the second mate, who was the best of the officers, at once shouted out for volunteers to lower the boat.

"Hold hard," says the captain; "I'll not have the hands thrown away for a careless, useless lubber who can't hold fast."

I had run aft when I heard some one say that the man who had gone was Tom Trivett. Without waiting for orders I hove overboard an oar and a hen-coop, with half-a-dozen cackling hens in it, which not having been properly secured, had fetched away. In my excitement I was proceeding to throw some spars and other articles into the sea, when the captain, catching sight of me, ordered me to desist.

"Let the fellow drown," he exclaimed; "it's his own fault, and it'll be a lesson to the rest of you."

Though the men had no love for Tom Trivett, bad as they were these remarks greatly enraged them.

"He cares no more for our lives than he does for that of a dog. It would have been just the same if any of us had gone," exclaimed several of them.

The pa.s.sengers were very indignant at the captain's barbarity. Two of them had been ready to go in the boat, and they all declared that the seaman might have been saved if proper efforts had immediately been made. I heard the captain in a peremptory tone tell them to hold their tongues, as they knew nothing about the matter. He was captain of the s.h.i.+p, and would act as he thought fit, and not endanger her safety for the sake of a single man who was not worth his salt. I deeply grieved for Tom since I discovered that he had been my firm friend, and I truly believed that I owed my life to him. Had it been daylight we might have watched to see whether he had got hold of any of the things thrown overboard, but almost immediately after he fell he was lost to view.

The gale lasted only a short time. We made sail again as soon as we could, and quickly lost sight of the other vessels.

Now that Tom Trivett had gone, my position became harder than ever, as I had no friend to stand up for me. I had often been protected by him when the others were inclined to bully me, and thus escaped many a cuff and kick. Julius Caesar was the only person who befriended me, and he didn't dare to do so openly. He often, indeed, appeared to be bullying me worse than the rest. I had been ordered to a.s.sist in cleaning his pots and pans, and sweeping out the caboose. Whenever the rigging had to be blacked down I was sent to do it, and was called to perform all the dirty jobs. The men, knowing I was a gentleman's son, took pleasure in seeing me thus employed. Mark would willingly have helped me, but he was always sent aft to some other work when seen near me.

I would gladly have changed places with him, but he told me that he was as badly off as I was forward, for he got as much kicked about by the captain and officers as I was by the men.

I had no one to talk to, for I could seldom get the opportunity of saying much to him. I felt that I had not a friend aboard. The men, when they had exhausted a few fresh provisions which they themselves had purchased, again began to grumble at the bad quality of their food.

They took care, however, to say nothing when the third mate was forward, but they went about their duty in a manner which it seemed surprising he did not observe.

One evening, being my watch below, still feeling the effect of the rough handling I had endured, I had crept into my berth to be out of the way of my persecutors. Mark, as usual, was attending to his duties in the cabin.

I had fallen asleep, when I was awakened by hearing some men speaking close to me, though it was too dark to see who they were, and even if they had looked into my berth they would not have discovered me; but I recognised the voices of old Growles and the boatswain, and two other men, who were the worst of the crew and the leading spirits for bad on board. I was not much alarmed, though I scarcely dared to breathe for fear of attracting their notice. I cannot repeat all they said, for they frequently made allusions which they knew that each other understood; but I heard enough to convince me that they were hatching a plot to overpower the officers and pa.s.sengers, and to take the vessel into Buenos Aires, or some other place on the banks of the River Plate.

One of the men proposed killing them and throwing them overboard. Old Growles suggested that they should be put into a boat and allowed to s.h.i.+ft for themselves, just as their officers were treated by the mutineers of the "Bounty." The boatswain said that he thought the best way of treating them would be to put them on sh.o.r.e on some desert island far-away to the southward, seldom visited by s.h.i.+ps, so that they could not make their escape.

"But they'll die of hunger, if you do that," remarked another man.

"They'll die, at all events, so it matters little," answered the boatswain. "Our business is to get rid of them, and either to go cruising on our own account, or to sell the s.h.i.+p at a Spanish port to the westward, and enjoy ourselves on what we get for her."

"Dead men tell no tales," muttered the first speaker.

"Heave them overboard at once, and we shall be done with them."

"I'm not for that sort of thing," said old Growles. "I shouldn't like to see their white faces as they dropped astern; they'd be haunting us, depend on that."

The boatswain and the others laughed.

"Who's to take the s.h.i.+p round Cape Horn, if we do away with the officers?" asked one of the men.

"I know enough navigation for that," said the boatswain, "it won't be a long job."

"Then I suppose you intend to turn captain. Is that it?" said another man.

"We don't want no captain aboard."

"If the s.h.i.+p was caught in a squall, you'd soon be calling out for some one to command you. Call me what you will, there's no man, except myself, knows how to navigate the s.h.i.+p when the officers are gone."

"I sees what you are after, boatswain," said old Growles. "We should be just getting rid of one captain, and having another like him in his place. We must all be free and equal aboard, or it'll never do. I propose that one is captain one day, and one another; and that you, if you can, or any one else, shall navigate the s.h.i.+p. Otherwise one man's as good as another, to my mind, and knows as well as you how to make or shorten sail."

"Well, I don't see how that can tell one way or the other," said the boatswain, who evidently didn't like the turn the conversation was taking.

To me it seemed that the villains were ready for any mischief, but had not wit enough to carry it out. I lay as quiet as a mouse, scarcely venturing to breathe, for I knew that they would not scruple to put an end to me should they discover me, and fancy that I was awake and had overheard them. I determined, should I be found out, to pretend to be fast asleep. They talked on for some time longer, till all hands were summoned on deck to shorten sail. I was considering, as well as I could, what I had better do. The captain and officers had ill-treated me, but that was no reason I should allow them to be murdered, if I could in any way warn them of the danger, while the guiltless pa.s.sengers must be saved at all costs. I thought that if I told Captain Longfleet, he would treat my statement as a c.o.c.k-and-bull story, and declare I had been dreaming. Probably I should be sent off with a kick and a cuff, and the crew would hear that I had informed against them. I thought, however, that I would tell the second mate, who was better disposed, and far more sensible than the rest of the officers. Then it occurred to me that I had better consult Mark first, and hear what he thought. Perhaps he would consider it wiser to speak to one of the pa.s.sengers, three of whom were determined-looking men. The fourth, Mr Alexander Fraser, was much younger, and I liked his appearance. He had given me a kind nod sometimes when I went aft. Their presence prevented the captain and officers from ill-treating Mark and me as much as usual. We were therefore inclined to regard them with a friendly spirit. I finally came to the conclusion to tell Mr Fraser what I had heard, if I could get the opportunity of speaking to him out of hearing of the rest of the crew, though that might be difficult. I knew that, after all, I must be guided by circ.u.mstances. The would-be mutineers talked on, and might have talked on for a whole watch, had not all hands been summoned on deck to shorten sail. I waited till they had gone up the rigging, and then crept out. The s.h.i.+p had been struck by a squall. Sheets were flying, blocks rattling, officers shouting, and a number of the men on deck pulling and hauling, made a hubbub so that I escaped aft unperceived, and was able to join Mark at one of the ropes it was his duty to attend to. As there was no one near, I was able to tell him by s.n.a.t.c.hes what I had heard.

"I'm not surprised," he answered. "The villains would murder their own mothers or grandmothers if they could gain anything by it; but I only doubt whether they will venture to attack the captain."

"Still, we must let one of the officers know, or else their blood will be upon our heads. I propose warning Mr Fraser, or one of the other gentlemen," I observed.

"That will do," said Mark. "Either you or I may find a chance to speak to one of them; but there's no time to be lost, for we can't say at what moment these ruffians may take it into their heads to carry out their villainous designs. We must be careful, however, that they don't suspect us of giving the information, or they might heave us overboard some dark night without ceremony."

Some time was occupied in taking in the canvas, but in the course of an hour the squall pa.s.sed off, and we had again to make sail.

While this was being done, Mark and I had time to discuss the matter.

That night, while it was my watch, I managed to get aft, where I found a person walking the deck, occasionally stopping and gazing at the bright stars overhead, the southern cross and others so different from those of the northern hemisphere. I waited till he had gone right aft out of earshot of the man at the wheel. I knew by his figure that it was Mr Fraser, so I went boldly up to him.

"I have got something to say to you," I whispered. "It's of great consequence. I mustn't speak loud."

I then briefly told him that I had heard the men propose to get rid of the officers and pa.s.sengers in some way or other.

"I've already heard something of this from your young messmate, but I'm very incredulous about it," he answered.

"Pray don't be that, sir," I said. "Your life, and the lives of many others besides, depends on your believing the truth of what I say and taking measures to protect yourselves;" and I then told him more circ.u.mstantially what I had heard. He now seemed to listen attentively, and evidently considered that there was something in what I had said.

"I'm very much obliged to you for the information you have given, and I'll consult my friends on the subject," he answered. "The captain seems to be a man who will know well how to deal with the villains, if what you say is true. We'll tell him what has come to our ears."

"Indeed what I say is true," I exclaimed with energy. "They may be upon you at any moment, while you are unprepared."

"Well, laddie, I'll lose no time," said Mr Fraser; and, afraid that if we remained much longer we might be observed by some of the men, I crept forward under the shadow of the bulwarks.

I waited anxiously during the remainder of the watch to see what would occur; but as the men turned in, I was thankful to find that they had no intention of carrying out their project that night, and it was not likely that they would do anything in the daytime, when their movements would be observed by the officers. My only fear was that they might have seen Mark and me talking to Mr Fraser, and might have their suspicions aroused. If so, Mark and I would run, I knew, great risk of being knocked on the head as soon as darkness again came on. I therefore kept a sharp look out whilst I was on deck during the night, though I had an uncomfortable feeling that I might possibly be smothered in my sleep, or that Mark might be treated in the same way. Daylight, however, returned without anything having occurred.

On meeting Mark, I expressed my fears to him.

"Do you know, d.i.c.k, I was thinking of the same thing, and I have made up my mind to cut and run on the first opportunity, and I advise you to do the same thing. Indeed, I should not be happy if I left you behind; in truth, I would not run unless you promise to desert also."