Part 27 (1/2)
”I suppose I need not ask you what is to be done with me, for that is sufficiently apparent now,” said Christy, more to engage the attention of the mate than for any other reason.
”You can form your own conclusion,” replied Mr. Dawbin.
”You intend to leave me on that reef ahead, and doubtless you expect me to be washed off and drowned, or starved to death there,” added the prisoner. ”I can't see why you take all this trouble when you could more conveniently blow my brains out.”
”The captain has promised not to harm you, Mr. Pa.s.sford, and he will keep his word,” replied the mate with very ill grace.
”I consider it worse than murder to leave me on that reef, or any of these rocks, Mr. Dawbin. Since I understand your intention, I might as well put a bullet through my own head, and save myself from all the suffering in store for me,” said Christy, a.s.suming the manner of one rendered desperate by his situation. ”Have you a revolver in your pocket?”
”I have not a revolver in my pocket; and if I had I should not lend it to you to shoot yourself,” replied the mate.
Mr. Dawbin had no revolver in his pocket, and that was all the prisoner had been driving at. He was equally confident that neither of the sailors was armed, for he had looked them over to see if there was any appearance of pistols in their pockets.
”You are making altogether too much fuss over this little matter, Mr.
Pa.s.sford. The captain desires you to remain on one of these rocks till he gets through his business with the commander of that steamer in the channel, which is now headed for the Snapper,” the mate explained. ”When that is finished we will take you off and proceed on our voyage.”
”You had better put a bullet through my head.”
”I don't think so. It is no great hards.h.i.+p for you to stay a few hours on that rock. You have had your dinner, and you will not starve to death. I don't think you will have to stay there long, for that steamer draws too much water to come in among these reefs, and she will be hard and fast on one of the shoals before she goes much farther.”
”Possibly her captain knows what he is about as well as you do,”
suggested Christy.
”I don't believe he does. There isn't a fathom of water on some of these shoals.”
But the Chateaugay kept on her course, though she proceeded very slowly.
When she was off the Gingerbread Cay she stopped her screw, and she was near enough for the observer to see that she was lowering at least two boats into the water. In a few minutes more they were seen pulling towards the Snapper, whose boat was now very near the reef which had been selected as the prisoner's abiding-place. A few minutes later the keel ground on the coral rock.
”Jump ash.o.r.e, both of you, and take the painter with you, my men,” said the mate, when the boat stuck about six feet from the top of the ledge.
The two sailors waded to the highest part of the reef, and began to haul in on the painter; but they could not get it anything less than three feet from the rock.
”We can't get the boat any nearer, Mr. Pa.s.sford; but you are a vigorous young man, and you can easily leap to the rock,” said Mr. Dawbin.
”Do you think you could leap to the ledge?” asked Christy, looking him sharp in the eye.
”I know I could.”
”Let me see you try it, Mr. Dawbin,” replied Christy, with his right hand on his revolver.
”Come, come! Mr. Pa.s.sford. No fooling. I have no time to spare,” growled the mate.
”I am not fooling. As you consider it no hards.h.i.+p to pa.s.s a few hours on that rock, I am going to trouble you to take my place there.”
”No nonsense! I am not to be trifled with!”
”Neither am I,” added the prisoner, as he drew out his weapon, and aimed it at the head of the mate. ”You can take your choice between the rock and a ball from my revolver, Mr. Dawbin.”