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The Ocean Cat's Paw: The Story of a Strange Cruise, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 41. Reptilian |
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_ CHAPTER FORTY ONE. REPTILIAN It was just about the same time as the Spaniard had chosen for his other visits, after dark, that his boat was again rowed across to the schooner's anchorage, the man asking for the doctor. "I'm here," said Uncle Paul, going to the side, from where he had been talking to the Count. "What's the matter?" "Matter?" said the Spaniard wonderingly. "Oh, there's nothing the matter. I thought I'd tell you that those two men of mine you gave the physic to are quite well again, and don't want any more. That's all. Go on shooting the crocodiles. Good-night!" He gave an order to his men, and the boat's head was turned, but as soon as they had proceeded a little way back the Spaniard gave another order, and his men checked the boat and kept on gently dipping their oars to keep her in the same place. "Doctor there?" shouted the Spaniard. "Yes." "Haven't thought any more about going up the river, have you?" There was dead silence for a few moments, and then Uncle Paul said sharply, as if making an effort-- "Yes; I shall start as soon as the tide turns to-morrow morning." "Very well," said the man carelessly. "I will come across with my long-boat and eight of my men. They want a job to keep them awake." Then he grumbled out some words in Spanish to those who were with him, while, as if annoyed at what he had heard, Captain Chubb uttered a low growl. "No, you needn't do that," cried Uncle Paul. "Our men would like to go up the river. If you will come across to act as guide I will use my own boat, and take all provisions that are necessary." "Very well," said the Spaniard. "Perhaps that will be best. Your boat's lighter than mine. Take plenty of powder and shot. Like some of my men to come and help?" "Oh no; it will not be necessary," replied the captain. "Bring blankets," shouted the Spaniard. "Dew's heavy. Good-night!" Then the boat was rowed away. "You mean to go?" grunted the skipper. "Yes; I don't like to lose this opportunity, and our friends here would like us to go." "Well," grunted the skipper, after a few moments' thought, "he's only one, and you'll be how many?" "I was taking eight of the men to row; that is to say, four rowers, and their relief; Cross for coxswain--nine; and our three selves." "Nay, I'm not going till that brig's finished," said the skipper angrily. "I felt assured of that," said the doctor. "The young Count is going to join us." "Ah, that's better," said the skipper. "But look here, gentlemen, I only look upon myself as a servant." "Not as mine," said the Count gravely. "I shall always look upon you, Captain Chubb, as one of my most valued friends." "And I am sure Captain Chubb knows that I do," said the doctor, "and that I have ever since he set me down as a scoundrelly slaver." "Oh, don't bring that up again, sir," grunted the skipper. "That was a blunder, and every man makes them. Well, that's very nice of you, gentlemen--very nice indeed; and I was going to speak out a bit nervously,--as I consider it to be my duty to do as Dr Robson's servant; but as you both speak of me as you do, I hope you won't be offended when I say outright that I don't like that Spanish chap at all." "Well, I don't know that I particularly like him," said the doctor; "but he will be very useful to me, and show me what I want. I shall pay him for his services, and there'll be an end of it." "Yes, gentlemen, that's right enough, but I wouldn't trust him a bit. The doctor will say that it is British prejudice. Perhaps it is; but here's my crew; there isn't a man among them as I'd say was perfect, but same time I'd lie down and go to sleep quite comfortable and feeling safe, if I knew any one of them was on the watch; and it did me good when I heerd you say, sir, that you wouldn't have any of the mongrel crew. If it had been the other way on, and you'd said you were going to take Mr Rodd and the young French gentleman and trust yourselves up the country in their boat, I'll tell you outright, sir, I should have struck against it, and if you'd held out and rode the high horse as master, why, there'd have been a mutiny. The men would have took my side, and we wouldn't have let you go." "And quite right too, Chubb," said the doctor, clapping him on the shoulder. "It would have been a good proof that I had done wisely in making you my friend. What do you say, Count?" "Quite right," was the reply. "Well, captain," continued the Count, "I don't see that the party can come to much harm with nine of your stout men to act as bodyguard, if this Spanish captain is used as a guide." "No, sir, I don't see as they can; and as the doctor's come out on purpose to collect all kinds of curious things and see some of the wonders of the world, I suppose it is right that he should make use of a chance like this. But I wouldn't trust that man, gentlemen, farther than I could see him, and that's what, with your leave, I am going to say to my lads. I am just going to tell 'em that they have got to bring the three gentlemen back safe and sound, even if it means that some of them is going to lose the number of their mess, and that means this too, that if Mr Spanish skipper don't play his game fair--well then--" The skipper ceased speaking, and screwed up his lips very tightly just in the light shed by the swinging lantern. "Well, captain," put in Rodd, who felt rather amused at what he called the fuss the skipper was making, "why don't you finish what you were going to say?" "Because I didn't think it was needed, my lad," was the reply. "What I meant was, that if the doctor here didn't think it was his duty to give that yellow chap a very strong dose, one of my lads would." The doctor was in as high glee the next morning as the two lads, and, it might be added with justice, the nine sailors who were to form their crew, for to a man they were bubbling over with excitement and delight. The moment they had heard that they were to go they began making their preparations; all their weapons were already in a perfect state of cleanliness, and shone as much as hands could make them, but every pistol and gun-lock was carefully re-oiled, every flint taken out and tightly replaced, while the blades of their cutlasses, that literally glittered, had a final touch given to them and the edges passed along the grindstone, which was sent spinning round in the little armoury as hard as it could go. The skipper himself spent half the night with the steward, packing provisions, Joe Cross helping, for though he was to be coxswain of the boat, he said he came in there, for after the cook he held that he knew more about cooking "wittles" than any fellow in the ship, and this was acknowledged without dissent, though one of the men did say that Joe Cross took more than his share, since in addition to other duties he had the canisters of gunpowder in charge. The morning was glorious, the sun and the early breeze soon chasing away the river mist, and before the tide had turned, everything was ready, the well-stored boat alongside, and an awning rigged up over the after-part big enough not merely to act as a screen for the gentlemen, but to shade those who were not rowing, while they were having their rest, while by a little addition the boat's sail could be spread over the little unshipped mast and used as a covering from the night dews when the boat was moored somewhere to the bank after the day's work was done. "There, gentlemen," said the skipper, "I think that's about as near as we can get it; but I don't see no sign of your Spanish guide as yet. It seems to me as if every one yonder is asleep. Here, you, Joe Cross, I knowed there'd be something. You've forgotten that screwdriver and the little bottle of oil." "That I aren't, sir! They're in the fore-locker in the little bag of tools." "Good," grunted the skipper; "and I suppose you'll help the doctor and young Mr Rodd skin the birds they shoot?" "That's right, sir, and Mr Rodd's been laying down the law to me to take care and keep that there soapy stuff covered over as he dresses the inside of the skins with, 'cause he says it's pison." The skipper grunted again as he stood at the side and scowled down into the boat. "Spun yarn?" he said sharply. "Plenty, sir." "But you lads never thought to give your jack-knives a whet, I'll be bound." Joe Cross turned to the crew. "Show knives, lads!" he shouted. "The skipper wants to try them all on his beard." "Steady!" growled the skipper. "That's right, then. Well, Mr Rodd," he continued, "I suppose everything's all right. No; where's that there extra coil of new signal line?" "Starn locker, sir," said Joe. "And an extra line with new grapnel?" "Fore-locker, sir," said Joe. The captain grunted. "Here, get the grapnel out of the jolly-boat and lash it under one of the thwarts. You might lose one again." "There it is, sir," said Joe--"lashed just amidships out of the way." "Come, come, captain," said the doctor good-humouredly as he took off his straw hat and wiped his moist brow, for he too had been as busy as the rest, "you have had your innings; I want to have mine. You, Rodney, you never thought to see that the quinine bottle in the little leather medicine chest was re-filled." "Rammed it in tight, uncle," said the boy triumphantly, "and saw to all the other bottles." "Then," said the doctor, "we'll say all is ready. Only look here, my lads; I'll give you half-an-hour before we start, so you had better go down below and have some more breakfast, for it will be a good many hours before we have another meal." No one stirred. "Well," said the doctor impatiently, "did you hear what I said?" This time a low murmur ran through the crew, and Joe Cross took a step forward and touched his hat. "Beg pardon, sir," he said; "the lads' respects, and they says they're all tight, cargo well stowed." "Then you don't want the extra half-hour?" said the doctor, looking at his watch. "So there's nothing to do, then, my dear Count, and you, Captain Chubb, but for us to shake hands and say good-bye." "Where's your guide?" grunted the captain. "Ah, where's our guide?" said the doctor, looking in the direction of the Spanish three-master. "He said at the turn of the tide. I ought to have asked him to come here to breakfast." "Here he comes, uncle," cried Rodd, for at that moment the head of the Spaniard's boat was rowed out from the other side of the anchored vessel, which might have been quite deserted, for not a head was to be seen. "Hah!" cried the doctor. "I like that. It tells well for his being a trustworthy guide. So now good-bye, Count. Your son's mine till we come back." The Count mastered his desire to embrace the doctor, and grasped his hand in regular English fashion, and by the time the Spaniard's little gig, rowed by two men, had come alongside, the last farewell had taken place with the captain, who then looked over the rail and grunted out-- "Coming aboard, senor?" "No, no; but just one word. I have been talking to my crew, and told them they are to take their orders from you till I come back. They won't give you any trouble. Let them smoke and sleep as much as they like." "All right," growled the skipper. "When shall we see you back?" "When your senor likes," said the Spaniard, lighting a fresh cigarette from the one which had threatened to burn his moustache. "I take the boat as far up into the forest along the little rivers till he tells me to turn back, and then we will begin to row or sail the other way." A few minutes later the French crew of the brig, and the men of the schooner who were to stay and help the carpenter and his mate, stood ready to give a farewell cheer. The travellers were on the boat, the rowers in their places, with their oars held upright ready to drop into the rowlocks, the little sail rolled round the mast was lying ready for use if a breeze sprang up, and Joe Cross stood right forward, boat-hook in hand, looking as smart as the rest of the crew, that is to say, just as if they had stepped off a man-of-war's deck, and then every one well-armed, ready for the attack upon any wild creatures they encountered, or for the defence of their lives against an enemy, waited for the skipper to give the signal to start, which he did at last by raising his hand. Then, as the boat was pushed off into the now rising tide, a mingled French and English cheer arose, full of good wishes, while of the Spaniard's crew not a man was visible save the two in the captain's boat, who had just reached the three-master's stern and had begun to make fast. The cheer was repeated as the Devon boat, in obedience to the dipping of the oars, glided farther out into mid-stream, while directly after there was a heavy swirl just beneath her bows, followed by the sudden protrusion of the huge grinning head of a fierce crocodile, the monster bent on mischief, and receiving a most unexpected salute, for Joe Cross was standing balancing his boat-hook in his hands, ready to lay it down along the thwart, but, quick almost as lightning, he gave it a twirl as he rested one foot upon the gunwale and drove it, harpoon fashion, crash into the reptile's head. "He's got it!" cried the man, as he started back; but he did not escape the shower of water that was sent flying over the boat, the crocodile vigorously lashing the surface with its serrated tail as it floated astern. "Yes," said the Spanish captain quietly, "but you had better shoot them, _senores_, and keep a little back from the side. There's plenty of them up the river, and one of you might get swept out of the boat." _ |
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