Part 29 (1/2)

”Can she be the _Zerlina_?” said I to Jack. ”I think when Mr Waller found that we were not following him, he would have put back to look for us.”

”No, sir; she has too wide a spread of canvas, to my mind, for the _Zerlina_,” answered Jack. ”I'm doubtful what she is.”

”Maybe she's the _Opossum_ hersel',” remarked Sandy. ”I ken she ought to be found hereabouts.”

”No, no, my boy; that craft is a square-rigged schooner, and a big one too,” said Jack, positively.

Less than an hour showed us he was right, and a long, low, black, rakish-looking schooner, with a wide spread of canvas, everything set alow and aloft, to catch the breeze, came sweeping past us.

”She's a slaver,” I exclaimed, with dismay.

”Ay, and has as wicked a look as I ever wish to see,” said Jack.

He was right in his description, and as she glided by us, a villainous set of ruffians of every shade of colour, of every variety of costume, appeared looking at us over her bulwarks. Still, ruffians as they might be, it appeared better to be taken off by them than to remain and perish where we were. We waved to them to come to us, and Jack and Jim Dore sung out, ”_Misericordia_! _misericordia_!”

They appeared, however, to take no notice, either of our signs or our cries, and our hearts sank within us. Happy would it have been for us had they left us where we were (so it seemed a short time afterwards).

However, directly they had pa.s.sed us, their studding-sails were taken in, the yards braced up, and in fine seamanlike style the schooner was rounded-to, close to leeward of us. A boat was instantly lowered, and pulled up alongside the wreck. Her crew did not improve in appearance on a nearer inspection. As they made signs to us to get into the boat, we slid off the bottom of the schooner, when they hauled us in, and placed us in the stern-sheets.

While they were pulling on board their own vessel I saw them eyeing my uniform with suspicious glances, and they made remarks which I did not understand. Our condition was sad enough to excite the compa.s.sion of anything human. When we were lifted on deck we could scarcely stand, and even Jack, with drooping head, had to support himself against the bulwarks, and little would any of those who saw him have supposed the gallant deeds of which his brawny arm was capable. Our lack-l.u.s.tre eyes and parched lips showed what we most needed, and at last some of the crew brought us some water in a bowl, which speedily revived us, while others came with a mixture of soup and beans. I never ate anything I thought so delicious, in spite of its being redolent of garlic, and containing no small quant.i.ty of grease. While we were being fed, the boat was hoisted in, the schooner put before the wind, and the studding-sails again set. She was a powerful vessel, and, from several unmistakeable signs, I perceived that she was full of slaves. I had done eating, and was beginning to look about me, when a little, dark, one-eyed man, who by his dress I saw was an officer, came up to me, and taking me by one of my uniform b.u.t.tons, asked--

”What for this?”

”It's the b.u.t.ton of my coat,” said I, in a simple tone.

”I know. You officer, then?” asked my friend. ”English s.h.i.+p?”

”I have that honour,” I replied.

”What s.h.i.+p, then?” he inquired.

I told him.

”How came you, then, there?” he asked, pointing to the wreck, which we were fast leaving astern.

I told him the truth.

”What say you, then, if we cut your throats, and heave you overboard?”

he asked; and as I looked at the twinkle of his one eye, and the expression of his lips, I thought that he was capable of any act of atrocity; but I determined to put a good face on the matter.

”I do not see why you should murder us,” I replied, calmly. ”We neither wish to harm you, nor can we; and as you have just preserved our lives, it would be something like destroying your own work.”

”We will see about that,” he remarked. ”You might find us sometimes in a humour when there would not be much doubt about the matter. Your men are safe enough, as they will doubtless join us, and three stout hands will be welcome. You may think yourself fortunate, if you ever set foot ash.o.r.e alive.”

I saw Jack, who was listening, put his tongue in his cheek, as much as to say, ”Do not reckon on my joining your villainous crew.” I had remarked that the captain of the slaver, for such I guessed the little man to be, improved in his way of speaking English as he proceeded, and I therefore warned Jack and the others to be careful what they said, lest they should offend him. After this conversation we were left alone, and sitting down on deck, I was very soon fast asleep. I was awoke by a man bringing me a mess of some sort to eat, and when I had devoured it I should have fallen asleep again, but the captain came up and told me that I might turn into a spare cabin on deck. Taking off my clothes, I threw myself on the bed, and slept without moving till the grey light of dawn came in at the scuttle. I was awoke by a loud jabbering and swearing, and presently the sound of a gun came booming over the water. There was then the noise of blocks creaking and ropes rattling, denoting that more sail was being made on the vessel. I dressed quickly and opened the door of my cabin, but scarcely had I stepped out on deck when my shoulder was roughly seized by the captain of the slaver, while with his other hand he pointed to a large brig about three miles off, under all sail, standing directly for our larboard quarter.

”What craft is that?” he asked, fiercely. ”Your men say they do not know her. Do you?”

I looked again. I had no doubt she was the _Opossum_. ”If I am not mistaken, she is the s.h.i.+p to which I belong,” I replied, calmly.

”Is she fast?” he asked.