Part 43 (1/2)

”Ah well, it's of no use our talking about that now; words will not mend matters,” said Eric. ”We'll have look out from here!”

The wind latterly had been from the east, blowing right into the bay.

On account of this, the brothers could not venture out in the boat and thus get round the headland, so as to climb the plateau from the other side of the island and scan the offing from thence.

Still, no amount of looking out on their part--or lack of observation, whichever way the matter was put--seemed to effect the arrival of the expected s.h.i.+p; for, the month pa.s.sed away in daily counted days without a trace of a sail being seen on the horizon.

At last, just when the brothers had given up in despair all hope of hearing from home, Eric, one morning in October, reported that there was something in sight to windward of the bay; although, he said, he did not think she looked like the _Pilot's Bride_.

Hastily jumping into his clothes--for Fritz, sad to relate, could never practise early rising, in which good habit day after day Eric set him a praiseworthy example--the elder followed the younger lad again to the sh.o.r.e of the bay; from which point, well away out to sea, and her hull just rising from the rolling plane of water, could be seen a vessel.

She was steering for the island apparently, with the wind well on her beam.

”It isn't Captain Brown's s.h.i.+p,” said Eric now decisively, his sailor eye having distinguished while she was yet in the distance that the vessel was a fore-and-aft-rigged schooner, although Fritz could not then tell what sort of craft she was. ”It is one of those small whalers that ply amongst the islands, such as I saw down at Kerguelen.”

”What can have become of the skipper, then?” cried Fritz, quite disappointed. ”I hope nothing has happened to him.”

”We'll soon know,” replied Eric. ”If I mistake not this very schooner, which is evidently going to call here, is the _Jane_. I know her by that queer patch in her jib; and, if that's the case, she is one of the consorts of the _Pilot's Bride_ and will be bound to be able to tell us something about her.”

”I sincerely hope so,” said Fritz.

The two then remained silent for some time, watching the approaching vessel; but they took the precaution to run down their whale-boat to the beach, so as to be ready to put off as soon as the visitor should come near enough for them to board her.

In a short time, bowling up before a good breeze, although it seemed hours to them, they were so anxious, the schooner lay-to off the bay, hoisting her flag as a signal that she wished to communicate. But, long before the bunting had been run up to the masthead, the brothers had launched their boat and were pulling out towards the vessel, which did not anchor, for there was a heavy ground swell on--this latter, indeed, cost them, too, some trouble in getting their little craft out to sea, the rolling surge first lifting her up and then plunging her down so that everything was hidden from them for the moment by a wall of water on either side.

However, they managed to get through the waves somehow; and, presently, they were alongside the schooner,--pulling in under her stern, whence a rope was hove them to get on board by.

An active-looking, slim, seamanlike young fellow advanced to them as they scrambled on the schooner's deck; and Eric appeared to recognise him.

”Hullo, Captain Fuller,” he said, ”where's the _Pilot's Bride_ and the old skipper?”

”I'm sorry you won't see him this trip,” replied the other. ”The barque got damaged in a gale off the African coast a month ago: so, she had to put into the Cape of Good Hope for repairs, which'll take such a time that Captain Brown couldn't manage to come along here and see you as he promised. Howsomever, the old skipper has sent me in his stead, to bring you some letters and take home any cargo you might have ready in sealskins and oil. He told me, likewise, to let you have any provisions you may want; but, I'm sorry to say, while coming here I helped an American s.h.i.+p that was short, and now I only have a little flour left to spare.”

”Thank you, all the same,” said Fritz, who had been waiting patiently while the master of the schooner gave this explanation. ”I'm very sorry at not seeing Captain Brown; however, I suppose he'll come for us next year, as he said, won't he?”

”Oh yes,” answered the other cordially. ”I'm sure he will, for it seemed a great disappointment to him not to be able to do so now. He told me to be certain to say that, 'blow great guns and small arms or not, he'll be at Inaccessible Island next year!' But, you must be anxious about your letters. Here they are,” and the nice-looking young fellow, whom Fritz had quite taken a fancy to, handed a little packet to him, adding, ”I am afraid I'll have to hurry you up about your return messages, as the wind is getting up from the eastwards and I shan't be able to remain here long.”

Fritz at once broke the seal of a thick letter, which Captain Brown had enclosed in one of his own. This he saw came from Lubeck, although it had the Capetown post mark on it, and he glanced hurriedly over the front page and then at the end.

”All right at home, thank G.o.d!” he said aloud for Eric's benefit, the lad staring at his brother with eager eyes. ”And now, Captain Fuller, I'm ready to attend to you. I shall be glad of a barrel of flour if you can spare it, but our other provisions can hold out. Will you let a man or two come ash.o.r.e to help get our freight aboard?”

”How much have you got to s.h.i.+p?” asked the other.

”Thirty sealskins and twenty barrels of oil,” replied Fritz at once; he and Eric had counted over their little store too often for him not to have their tally at his fingers' ends!

”Come now,” said Captain Fuller encouragingly. ”That's not bad work for a couple of novices as their first take here! Next year, you'll be able to fill up the _Pilot's Bride_, 'I reckon,' as the old skipper would say.”

”Not quite that,” replied Fritz, while he and Eric joined in the other's laugh; ”still, I've no doubt we'll do better than this, for we'll take care to be beforehand with some folks!”

The commander of the schooner looking puzzled by the latter part of this speech, Fritz proceeded to tell the young seaman all about Nat Slater and the Tristaners, anent which he became very indignant.

”I'll take care to call at the island and spoil the mean fellow's game for him, so that you shan't be troubled in the same way again!” cried their new friend, with much heartiness; ”but, do, please, let these men go ash.o.r.e with you now and fetch your produce at once, or else we'll have to be off without it! Here, Harris and Betkins,” he sang out to two of the schooner's men, ”go along with these gentlemen in their boat and bring off some cargo they'll point out to you!”