CHAPTER XVIII.
I did not believe it would require a great deal of eloquence to bring our party back to a sense of their duty, and I waited impatiently for the time of action. The steerage grew dark, and presently the mate, with a lantern in his hand, appeared. He looked over the cords by which I was made fast to the stanchion, to satisfy himself that the steward had left me secure for the night.
"You are all right, Phil; but I don't think you will sleep very well here," said he.
"I don't expect to sleep."
"Have you anything to say yet?"
"No, sir; not yet."
"I always took you for a sensible fellow; but I see I was mistaken."
"We are all liable to mistakes," I replied, feeling the necessity of saying something.
"You can sleep in one of those berths, if you prefer."
"I do prefer it."
"Then tell me where the money is, and I will let you loose."
"The money belongs to me."
"I don't wish to argue the matter. If you want to sleep in a berth, you can do so by telling me where the money is."
"I think you ought to let me have my own money, Mr. Waterford. I worked hard—"
"No cant. I see you are not ready to tell yet. If you get tired of your situation before morning, you can call the steward, who sleeps here, and he will let me know. I have the mid-watch, and I'm going to turn in now. It's no use to waste time talking with you."
I did not wish him to waste any time in this profitless manner; so I said nothing, and he left me to my hard fate. Since Palmer had loosed my bonds I was tolerably comfortable, though the pitching of the bark occasionally threw the strain of the ropes upon my arms. I heard no more from the mate, and I supposed he had turned in; but the steward did not come as soon as I expected. I heard two bells on deck, which indicated nine o'clock; but I concluded that the Spaniards in the cabin had not yet turned in.
The steerage was pitch dark, and I could not see a thing; but soon after I heard two bells, there was a sound not more than a mouse might have made in his nocturnal perambulations in search of cheese. I listened attentively, and was soon conscious that some one was in the steerage with me.
"Phil," said a whispered voice, when I began to be not a little excited over the circumstance.
"Who's there?" I replied, in a tone as low and guarded, for I was willing to believe that the visitor was a friend until he had proved himself to be a foe.
"Where are you?"
"Here."
I listened and heard the suppressed breathings of the person; and presently I felt his hand laid upon me. I had a further opportunity to exercise my senses, for I could smell rum very distinctly.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"Don't you know me? I'm Jack Sanderson," replied the visitor. "We want you on deck."
"I thought you had all caved in."
"Not a bit of it, Phil. We are all as true as the compass."
"You have been drinking."
"Only a nip or two each; but we are all right. We pretended to cave in, but we didn't, Phil. Now let me cut your ropes."
"No; not yet, Jack. You will spoil everything if you move too soon."
"What do you mean? Have you caved in, Phil?"
"No; but I have a friend in the cabin."
"Who?"
"Palmer, the steward."
"Good!"
"As soon as all hands in the cabin have turned in, he will loose me, and then we shall be ready for you. Are the men all right?"
"Every one of them."
"Now leave me, Jack. If you like, you can stay between decks till the steward comes, and then I will join you."
"All right, Phil."
Sanderson left me, and I was now thoroughly satisfied that the scheme would be a success; I did not see how it could fail. The mate evidently depended too much upon the instinctive subordination of sailors, and appeared to have taken no special precautions for the safety of the bark and his wicked project. The men had promised to do their duty, which he interpreted as one thing and they as another. The drinking of their grog was doubtless enough to convince him that the crew were converted to his scheme.
I heard three bells, and then four; but Palmer did not come, and I began to question whether I had not made a mistake in trusting him as far as I had. I was sorry that I had not permitted Sanderson to unfasten me, for then I might have availed myself of any chance that offered if the steward was faithless. But I wronged him again. Before five bells, he came with a lantern in one hand, and a couple of revolvers in the other. He carefully closed the door behind him as he entered, and laid the pistols in his berth.
"I was afraid you were not coming," I whispered; "but you are as true as steel."
"I am, Phil. You needn't have any doubts of me. The passengers didn't turn in till ten o'clock. They have been drinking and playing cards."
"Are they asleep?"
"I reckon they are; they snore, at any rate. They were both tight, and only quit their game when the liquor had made them so sleepy they didn't know a jack from an ace."
"How's the captain?"
"Drunk as an owl. I gave him a whole tumblerful of whiskey at two bells, and he won't know anything till morning."
"How is it on deck?"
"The second mate is on the watch, of course. It is almost calm, and Waterford was afraid of that steamer we saw to-day. I heard him tell the second mate to keep two men on the cross-trees, with an eye to windward. He made him send Gorro and Martino up, for he wouldn't trust any other men in the watch."
"Good! That will save us the trouble of knocking them on the head, which we don't want to do," I replied, as Palmer untied the cords which fastened me to the stanchion.
In a moment more I was free, and the steward handed me one of the revolvers.
"Take this; you may want it," said he. "It isn't worth while to be too nice in a scrape of this kind. The mate or those Spaniards would murder any of us, if it was necessary, as easy as they would turn a hand."
"I shall use it if the case requires; but I hope it will not be necessary to shoot any one. Sanderson has been down to see me."
"No!"
"Yes, he has. The men are as true as we could wish. But we won't waste any time," I added, moving towards the door which led into the between-decks. "Sanderson is close by, I suppose."
"But what am I to do?"
"Go with us into the cabin. We shall secure the mate first. Take those lines with you, for we must tie him hand and foot."
"Do you know how the second mate stands?"
"He's all right, though he don't say much, being an officer. Baxter will take care of him. While Martino and Gorro stay aloft, there will be nothing to do on deck. Now wait here till we come."
I took his lantern, and went between decks, where I found Sanderson as impatient as though he had been waiting for his grog.
"I was afraid something had happened," said he, in tremulous accents.
"No; everything is as well as it could be; better than I anticipated. Everybody in the cabin except the mate is drunk, and the steward says Gorro and Martino are on the cross-trees."
"That's so."
"How are the men?"
"All right. I went out to the forecastle, and told them how it was with you; but I thought you would never come."
"The Spaniards in the cabin did not turn in till four bells. But heave ahead now; bring down the men who are to act with us."
"Ay, ay!"
"Tell Baxter he need do nothing on deck until we come up from the cabin. Do you know who is at the helm?"
"Welsh; we put him there when Martino was sent aloft on the lookout."
"He will know what we are about."
"But you had better go to the scuttle, and speak a word to Baxter. It will make the men feel better to know you are all right."
"Very well, I will; but we must not waste time. Everything is favorable for the movement now, and we don't know how long it may be so."
I walked with Sanderson to the forecastle, leaving Palmer in the steerage to warn us if anything went wrong in the cabin. Sanderson whispered to Baxter that we were ready, and the four men who were to join us came below.
"Don't do anything on deck, Baxter," I whispered. "Get our men out of their berths and on deck as quietly as possible."
"They are all wide awake, and will come out when I rap on the planks," replied the stout-hearted old salt.
"If Gorro and Martino attempt to come down from the cross-trees, make a spread eagle of them on the main-rigging. Don't let the three Spaniards come out of the forecastle."
"Ay, ay! But how about the second mate?" asked Baxter.
"In about ten minutes the work below will be done. By that time you can tell him what we are about."
"What if he objects?"
"He won't object."
"But if he does?"
"Serve him as you do the others. Make him fast, hand and foot. Now mind your eye."
I led the way aft, followed by my five companions. I had one of the revolvers in my belt, and had given the other to Baxter, though I cautioned him not to use it except in the last emergency. We all took off our shoes, and left them between decks. We then entered the steerage, where Palmer was nervously awaiting our arrival.
"What shall I do?" asked Palmer.
"Hold the light, and carry the ropes; nothing more. Sanderson and I will take care of the mate."
"Has he a pistol in his state-room?" asked Jack.
"I don't know. Probably he has; but we won't mind a pistol. We will not let him wake enough to know how to use it, if he has one. Are you all ready?"
"Ay, ay!" whispered the men.
"Stay where you are, with the light, Palmer, until you hear a noise. I know just where the room is, and I can find the mate in the dark."
I opened the door which led into the cabin, and crept cautiously aft till I had reached the door of Waterford's room. I could hear the heavy snoring of the captain, and I was satisfied that he would give us no trouble. He was too drunk to resist us, and I had decided not to meddle with him till we had secured the others.
I waited till all my companions were in the cabin; and then, closely attended by Sanderson, I crept into the mate's state-room. I bent over the berth, and, by his heavy breathing, ascertained where his head lay. I then placed my right hand upon his throat, and with my left thrust a handkerchief into his mouth, so that he could not cry out. At the same instant, Sanderson seized his hands, and the mate was secure.
Securing the Mate.
Securing the Mate.
Securing the Mate.