Owen Hartley; or, Ups and Downs Part 12

"Be quick there, boys, or you shall have a taste of the rope's end,"

shouted the mate from within the tent.

"He seems in a terribly bad humour this morning," said Nat.

"I am afraid his temper will not improve if he continues to drink as he has begun to do," answered Owen. "What I fear is, that the men will follow his example, and that nothing will be done to preserve our lives.

However, it becomes the more necessary that we should exert ourselves, and use the sense G.o.d has given us."

"It seems strange that Mr Grey and the other officers should have been lost, and this one have been saved," observed Nat.

"We do not understand G.o.d's ways; all we know is that He orders everything for the best," answered Owen. "He may have allowed them to be drowned to save them from greater suffering."

They spoke in low whispers so that the mate could not hear them. By this time the sun had risen above the horizon. As the sky was unclouded its rays struck with great force on their bare heads, for they had lost their hats.

"We must make some covering for our heads, or we shall be suffering from sun-stroke," observed Owen. "What I dread most, however, is the want of water; we must search for it. I have heard that even on such sandy islands as this springs have been found. If we can discover one, it may be the means of saving our lives. Blow away, Nat, we shall soon have a blaze."

In a short time a brisk fire was burning. The other men now began to rouse up. The mate ordered Mike Coffey to act as cook. Among the articles saved was a large iron fish-kettle. The provisions were now turned over to discover what was most suitable for breakfast.

"Shure the best way to cook the food will be to boil all together,"

observed Mike. Having filled the kettle half full of water, he cut up whatever was brought to him; some beef, biscuits, a tin of preserved vegetables, a drowned fowl, and some handfuls of split peas. He had fixed over the fire a tripod of three poles, to which he hung his kettle, which Owen and Nat were told to watch in order to prevent the poles burning through.

The mate sat in the tent, apparently with no intention of exerting himself, while the rest of the men wandered about in twos and threes along the sh.o.r.e, in search of anything that might have been cast up. It was possible, also, that they may have been discussing together the mate's conduct, as every now and then one of them looked back at the tent to see if he was coming out. He sat still, evidently considering that the others were bound to obey him. By the time the seamen came back Mike's porridge, as he called it, was ready. The lid of the kettle served as a dish, into which he baled it with a tin cup. How it was afterwards to be divided was the difficulty, as there were only three cup among the whole party.

"I saw some big sh.e.l.ls on the beach," said Nat; "they will serve us for plates."

He and Owen went down and soon collected enough for all hands. The mate claimed his share first, and ordered a sh.e.l.l as well as his cup to be filled. The men looked at each other, but said nothing.

Mike's porridge was p.r.o.nounced excellent.

"Shure, mates, you shall have the same for dinner," he said; "but there is one thing I've got to ask--how long is it to last? We have made a good hole in the beef cask already; we shall make a bigger one at dinner-time."

The men, however, did not listen to the Irishman's remark, but as soon as the meal was over lay down, some in the shade of the tent, whilst others, indifferent to the heat of the sun, stretched themselves on the sand, exposed to its full force. Some had saved their pipes, others their tobacco, and the pipes being filled, were pa.s.sed round. Precious time was thus lost which should have been employed in searching for provisions which might have been cast on sh.o.r.e.

"Although others are idle it is no reason why we should be so," observed Owen to Nat and Mike. "Come along, let us see what we can find."

Mike, though an Irishman, was a very steady fellow, and at once agreed to what Owen proposed. Nat was always ready, and they set out. They had not gone far when they found several casks and bales which had been washed out of the wreck.

They dragged them up on the beach to wait an examination at a future time. They opened only one bale, which contained muslin.

"Very little use this to us," observed Nat. "On the contrary, it will be of the greatest service," answered Owen. "We can make coverings with it for our heads, which will afford greater protection against the heat than any hats we could manufacture. My head has begun to ache already."

"Mr Hartley is right," said Mike. "The Indian fellows out here always wear things of this sort on their heads."

Owen had no great notion how to form a turban, but he had seen pictures of Orientals, and was aware that their headdress consisted of long twists of muslin turned round and round. He immediately set to work, and fitted one to Nat's head.

"Shure you look like an illegint hathin," said Mike. "Now, Mr Hartley, just plase to fit me with one like it."

Owen succeeded better even than he had in Nat's case. He then made one for himself, and they all laughed heartily as they looked at each other.

"If any Indians come this way they'll be afther taking us for countrymen, and be friendly at once," said Mike.

"I don't think there is much chance of that, but we shall save ourselves from sun-stroke, and I hope the rest of the men will follow our example," answered Owen.

"Shure there is some big black thing out there on the beach," exclaimed Mike, pointing ahead. "What can it be?"

"Can it be a big fish?" asked Nat.

"It looks to me more like a piece of wreck," said Owen.

They hurried on, eager to ascertain what object it was.

"Hurrah! it's a boat," cried Owen, who had kept ahead. On examination the boat was discovered to be the second cutter. The falls had been let go when no one was in her, and she had washed clear of the rocks right up to the sand-bank; she was, therefore, but little damaged.

The carpenter had been drowned, but the carpenter's mate had escaped, and was a good workman, and he might easily repair her and fit her for sea. She would not carry the whole of the party, but some might make their way to Batavia and get a vessel to return and take off the rest.

Who, however, would have the command?

The only person who was capable of navigating the boat, besides the first mate, was Owen himself. He had had but little experience of navigation, and still less of the management of a boat in a heavy sea.

The first mate therefore was undoubtedly the proper person to go; but would he undertake the adventure?

These thoughts pa.s.sed through Owen's mind as he and his companions were endeavouring to haul up the boat. Their strength was only sufficient to get her a short way up the beach, so that there would be no risk of her being washed off again. They continued their search, tempted onwards by seeing objects floating in the surf. The most valuable, undoubtedly, were three casks of water. They also found some kegs of spirits, the heads of which they knocked in, for Owen felt convinced that should the men get hold of them, they would attack the contents until they had lost their senses. Although a considerable quant.i.ty of provisions of various sorts had come ash.o.r.e, some had been damaged by the sea water. Still, when all had been secured there was enough, with due economy, to last for several months, and, providing water could be found, they might live. But the precious fluid which had been saved would, even with a very short allowance to each man, soon be exhausted. Owen now proposed that they should go back and get some of the men to secure their prizes.

On approaching the camp, however, they heard shouts and wild shrieks of laughter. It was evident that they had been following the example set them by the mate. They had got hold of a cask of spirits, which they had broached, as well as one of the beer casks. When Owen and his companions got up to the camp, their appearance elicited loud shouts of laughter, and cries of "Who are these young Turks? Where do you come from?" The men having amused themselves for some time, invited Owen, Nat, and Mike to sit down and drink with them.

"We have no time to do that," answered Owen; "but we want you to come and help us secure a number of articles we have found."

"Have you got any spirits or beer?" asked the men.

"No," said Owen; "but we have found some casks of water, which are of far more value."

This remark created a further laugh, and all united in inviting Mike to join them.

"Do not you be persuaded," said Owen. "In a short time, when the liquor is gone, they will be sorry that they exhausted it so soon."

The mate had not spoken, indeed he lay on the ground inside the tent in a worse condition than the men.

"It will be impossible to remain with these people," said Owen. "I propose, therefore, that we go to some distance, out of their sight, and make a tent for ourselves. We shall find sufficient materials from the bales of cotton cloth which have been washed up."

Mike and Nat agreed. "But, shure, they've got the iron kettle, and how are we to cook our mate without that?" exclaimed Mike.

"We must roast our meat, and make use of sh.e.l.ls for cups," answered Owen; "anything would be better than remaining with them."

When the men saw that the two lads and Mike were going away, they shouted after them to stop, but finding that they were resolute, began to abuse them, Mike coming in for the largest share of vituperation.

This made his temper rise.

"Arrah! but I'll be afther paying thim off for this," he exclaimed.

"Keep quiet, Mike," said Owen, taking his arm; "you were doing what was right, and must not mind them."

Mike was at last pacified, and they went on, until they reached a part of the bank considerably higher than that where they had left their companions.