Part 3 (1/2)
”By all means,” said Henry, rising and putting on his cap.
”Perhaps,” said Gascoyne, as they were about to leave the room, ”if the commander of the _Talisman_ would condescend to take a little information from a stranger, he might learn something to the purpose regarding the pirate Durward; for he it is, I presume, of whom you are in search.”
”I shall be happy to gain information from any source,” replied Montague, eyeing the captain narrowly. ”Are you a resident in this island?”
”No, I am not; my home is on the sea, and has been since I was a lad.”
”Ah! you have fallen in with this pirate then on your native ocean, I fancy, and have disagreeable cause to remember him, perchance,” said Montague, smiling. ”Has he given you much trouble?”
”Ay, that he has,” replied Gascoyne, with a sudden scowl of ferocity.
”No one in these seas has received so much annoyance from him as I have.
Any one who could rid them of his presence would do good service to the cause of humanity. But,” he added, while a grim smile overspread his handsome face, ”it is said that few vessels can cope with his schooner in speed, and I can answer for it that he is a bold man, fond of fighting, with plenty of reckless cut-throats to back him, and more likely to give chase to a sloop-of-war than to shew her his heels. I trust you are well manned and armed, Captain Montague, for this Durward is a desperate fellow, I a.s.sure you.”
The young commander's countenance flushed as he replied, ”Your anxiety on my account, sir, is quite uncalled for. Had I nothing but my own longboat wherewith to attack this pirate, it would be my duty to do so.
I had scarcely expected to find unmanly fears exhibited in one so stalwart in appearance as you are. Perhaps it may relieve you to know that I am both well manned and armed. It is not usual for a British man-of-war to cruise in distant seas in a less suitable condition to protect her flag. And yet, methinks, one who has spent so many years of his life on salt water might know the difference between a frigate and a sloop-of-war.”
”Be not so hasty, young man,” answered Gascoyne, gravely; ”you are not on your own quarter-deck just now. There ought to be civility between strangers. I may, indeed, be very ignorant of the cut and rig of British war vessels, seeing that I am but a plain trader in seas where s.h.i.+ps of war are not often wont to unfurl their flags, but there can be no harm, and there was meant no offence, in warning you to be on your guard.”
A tinge of sarcasm still lingered in Captain Montague's tone as he replied, ”Well, I thank you for the caution. But to come to the point, what know you of this pirate--this Durward, as he calls himself; though I have no doubt he has sailed under so many aliases that he may have forgotten his real name.”
”I know him to be a villain,” replied Gascoyne.
”That much I know as well as you,” said Montague.
”And yet it is said he takes fits of remorse at times, and would fain change his way of life if he could,” continued Gascoyne.
”That I might guess,” returned the other; ”most wicked men have their seasons of remorse. Can you tell me nothing of him more definite than this, friend?”
”I can tell you that he is the very bane of my existence,” said Gascoyne, the angry expression again flitting for a moment across his countenance. ”He not only pursues and haunts me like my own shadow, but he gets me into sc.r.a.pes by pa.s.sing his schooner for mine when he is caught.”
The young officer glanced in surprise at the speaker as he uttered these words.
”Indeed,” said he, ”that is a strange confusion of ideas. So then, the two schooners bear so strong a resemblance as to be easily mistaken for each other?”
”They are twins. They were built at the same time, from the same moulds, and were intended for the sandal-wood trade between these islands and Calcutta, Manilla, and Australia. One of them, the _Avenger_, was seized on her first voyage, by this Durward, then mate of the schooner, and has ever since scoured the South Seas as a pirate; the other, named the _Foam_, which I have the misfortune to command, still continues the traffic for which she was originally built.”
”Ha!” exclaimed Montague, turning suddenly round with an inquiring gaze at the stalwart figure of the sandal-wood trader; ”it is most fortunate that I have met with you, Mr Gascoyne. I doubt not that you can conduct me to this vessel of yours, so that I may know the pirate when I fall in with him. If the two vessels resemble each other so closely, a sight of the _Foam_ will be of great service to me in my search after the _Avenger_.”
”You are most welcome to a sight of my craft,” replied Gascoyne. ”The only difference between the two is, that the figurehead of the pirate is a griffin's head, painted scarlet, that of my schooner is a female, painted white. There is also a red streak round the sides of the pirate; the hull of the _Foam_ is entirely black.”
”Will you come on board my vessel, and accompany me in one of my boats to yours?” inquired Montague.
”That is impossible,” replied Gascoyne; ”I came here on urgent business which will not brook delay; but my schooner lies on the other side of the island; if you pull round, my mate will receive you. You will find him a most intelligent and hospitable man. He will conduct you over the vessel, and give you all the information you may desire. Meanwhile,”
added the captain of the _Foam_, rising and putting on his cap, ”I must bid you adieu.”
”Nay, but you have not yet told me when or where you last saw or heard of this remarkable pirate, who is so clever at representing other people, perhaps I should rather say misrepresenting them,” said Montague, with a meaning smile.
”I saw him no longer ago than this morning,” replied Gascoyne gravely.
”He is now in these waters, with what intent I know not, unless from his unnatural delight in persecuting me, or, perhaps, because fate has led him into the very jaws of the lion.”