Part 11 (1/2)
So far, so good. The s.h.i.+p was, however, still in the comparatively s.p.a.cious lagoon inside the reef. The crucial test of Ned's ability would come when she pa.s.sed into the narrow tortuous channel leading through the reef to the open sea. But that one trial had sufficed to demonstrate to Ned that the s.h.i.+p, even under the comparatively small amount of canvas then set, was under perfect command; and he was, moreover, just at that moment in that peculiar state of exhilaration both of mind and body when no task seems impossible. It was not likely, therefore, that, with Sibylla's bright eyes regarding him with an eager curiosity--which to him seemed not wholly devoid of interest--he should shrink from any ordeal, however difficult.
But there was a peculiarly trying spot to be pa.s.sed just at the inner extremity of the channel, and the s.h.i.+p would probably reach it on her next board. It behoved Ned, therefore, to dismiss from his mind all thoughts not strictly appertaining to the business in hand; and, like the sensible, practical fellow he was, he did so. Standing on a hen- coop, with one hand lightly grasping the mizen-topmast backstay, he sought and soon found the spot, which he carefully watched until he considered that the s.h.i.+p had run far enough to reach it on the next tack. He then gave the word ”Ready about!” and immediately tacked the s.h.i.+p. The exceeding awkwardness of the pa.s.sage consisted in the fact that, at the particular point referred to, the channel through the reef for a length of about sixteen hundred feet was only about three hundred feet wide, whilst its direction was dead in the wind's eye as it then blew. Hence it was quite impossible to work the s.h.i.+p through this narrow ”gut” in the ordinary way. Two small coves of unbroken--and therefore deep--water had been discovered on the north side of this narrow pa.s.sage during the preliminary exploration; but they trended in the wrong direction and were so very narrow that Williams, on seeing them, at once declared them useless for all practical purposes. Ned, however, thought differently, and it was indeed upon the existence of these two indentations that he based his hope of success in an effort that, under other circ.u.mstances, it would have been sheer madness to attempt.
The s.h.i.+p tacked with the same admirable precision as before, and on gathering way was found to be looking well up for the entrance to the narrow channel. The distance to be traversed was no great matter, and Ned consequently kept all hands at their stations; but the anxious looks which they cast, first at him and next at the formidable barrier of rocks to leeward, showed plainly enough how completely puzzled they were as to the manner in which Ned was to deal with the difficulty which faced him. In less than five minutes from the moment of tacking the s.h.i.+p reached the opening, and as she glided across the narrow channel Ned signed to Williams to put the helm gradually down. The result was that the s.h.i.+p shot easily up into the wind; and the moment that all her canvas was a-s.h.i.+ver Ned ordered the helm amids.h.i.+ps. This manoeuvre caused the s.h.i.+p to shoot for a considerable distance along the channel right in the wind's eye; and before she entirely lost her way she had, as Ned had calculated she would, forged past the opening giving access to the first cove or indentation in the reef. The square canvas was now thrown flat aback and the s.h.i.+p soon gathered stern-way, when, by a judicious and skilful manipulation of the helm and braces, a stern-board was made and the vessel backed into the indentation and to its farthest extremity, a distance of about two cables'-lengths. The yards were then braced round and the canvas filled on the starboard tack, when, the s.h.i.+p gathering headway, she went booming down the indentation again and rushed once more into the narrow channel; when, having by this manoeuvre acquired sufficient ”way” or momentum, the same tactics were a second time resorted to in order to get her past the second indentation, upon emerging from which she entered a wider reach of the channel where there was room to work her in the ordinary way. Thenceforward there was no further difficulty, except that in one rather awkward spot a sunken rock was encountered, which Ned, being duly apprised of its position by Rogers, avoided by the masterly execution of a half-board. A quarter of an hour later saw the _Flying Cloud_ gliding out of the last reach of the channel to windward of everything, and five minutes afterwards Williams resigned the wheel to the man who had gone aft to relieve him, and resumed command of the s.h.i.+p; saying to Ned as he dismissed him:
”You have done exceedingly well, young gentleman; and I thank you not only for myself but also for all hands. It was, no doubt, your foresight and the caution you gave us last night that saved the s.h.i.+p from wreck on yonder reef; and you have this morning got us out of a difficulty which a slight increase of wind would have made a most serious one. We are very greatly indebted to you; and if ever you should require a favour at my hands remind me of this morning, and if it is possible to grant that favour with safety to ourselves it shall be granted. And now, tell me what you think of yon island as a dwelling- place for Captain Blyth?”
”I should think it would serve fairly well,” said Ned, inwardly rejoicing at the prospect of the skipper being put on sh.o.r.e within such comparatively easy reach of the other party. ”The island is large enough to support a hundred people, for that matter. It is as much out of the way as any other place we are likely to fall in with; and I have no doubt but that round on the lee side of it we shall meet with smooth water and a beach upon which to effect a landing.”
”So I think,” returned Williams. ”At all events,” he continued, ”we will run round to leeward and have a look at the place. And in the meantime you may as well go and tell the skipper and young Manners to hold themselves in readiness to leave the s.h.i.+p--if the place looks promising I shall land them _both_ here. And when you have spoken to them you may look out a few things--as well as all their own belongings--which will help to make them comfortable. We have no ill- feeling toward either of them, and it will be a satisfaction to remember that we left them with the means of taking care of themselves.”
”All right,” said Ned; ”I will do so.” And he hurried away upon his errand, which he was anxious to fully accomplish whilst Williams'
extraordinary fit of good-nature still remained upon him.
Captain Blyth and young Manners were, it will be remembered, confined in the forward deck-house; and thither Ned at once made his way. The sliding-door was closed, and secured by a hasp and staple which had been put on since Ned had last visited the place. Withdrawing the pin and folding back the hasp, the lad slid the door open and entered--to start back horrified at the sight which met his gaze. The two prisoners were there, with their feet in irons, the skipper being seated on one side of the small table which occupied the centre of the berth, and Manners on the other side. It was not their condition, however, nor the fact that they were in irons, which startled Ned; they were clean and comfortable- looking enough, both in person and in dress, to show that they had been fairly well looked after; it was the dreadfully haggard and worn look of the skipper. The poor fellow looked twenty years older than when Ned had seen him last; he was wasted almost to the condition of a skeleton.
The skin of his forehead and the outer corners of his eye-sockets was furrowed and wrinkled and crow's-footed like that of an old man of eighty; and his hair was thickly streaked with grey.
As Ned entered, both prisoners rose to their feet, and Captain Blyth, stretching out his hand in welcome, exclaimed with emotion:
”At last--at last! I _knew_ you would be true to me, Ned, my dear lad-- I said so, over and over again; did I not, Manners? And now you are come with good tidings; I can see it in your face. What is it boy! Out with it. I have been terribly shaken by this villainous mutiny, but my nerves are yet strong enough to bear the shock of good news, so out with it; do not keep us in suspense, dear lad.”
It was pitiful to Ned to listen to the yearning tones of anxious entreaty in which the poor fellow uttered those last words, and to feel that he had not a single sc.r.a.p of comfort to offer; but his task was before him. He had to execute it, and he determined to do it as gently as possible, and to put matters in the most hopeful light he could on the spur of the moment.
”Yes,” began Ned, ”I _have_ come with what I hope will prove to be good tidings, though, perhaps, they may not strike you as such at the outset; and I deeply regret to say that they are certainly not such as you seem to have been looking for. The s.h.i.+p is still in the hands of the mutineers, notwithstanding all the plotting and scheming of Mr Gaunt, Doctor Henderson, and myself; Williams and the rest of the people have been too watchful for us to take them by surprise, and we were not strong enough to attempt force with them. And now--the pa.s.sengers, all but Miss Stanhope, being landed, as I suppose you know--I fear that the poor _Flying Cloud_ will have to remain in the rascals' hands; at all events until we get into more frequented waters, when you may depend upon it I shall make desperate efforts, and leave no feasible plan untried to secure the capture of the s.h.i.+p. But, in the meantime, I have been instructed by Williams to inform you that you are to hold yourselves in readiness to be landed on the island yonder, which you may see through the starboard window. This, I hope, will be good news to you both, for you will at least be _free_--free not only from your present confinement, but also free to act; free to devise and to carry out means for your escape from the island, and your speedy restoration to civilisation. I am instructed to say that all your personal effects will be rendered up to you; and I have orders to get together a few things to make you comfortable. So now, if you will name what things you would most desire to have, I will jot down a list of them, and do all I possibly can to ensure your getting them.”
”So--so; that is how the land lies, is it?” remarked the skipper thoughtfully, when Ned had brought his story to a close. ”And, pray, what are they going to do with _you_, young gentleman, if I may presume to ask?”
”Don't speak like that, Captain Blyth, I beg,” protested Ned, deeply hurt by the tone of suspicion in which the skipper's question had been put. ”I am just as helpless as yourselves in this matter. They have determined to keep me on board to navigate the s.h.i.+p for them; and, with a malignant ingenuity which would never have occurred to anybody but Williams, they have also detained Miss Stanhope to act as hostage and security for my fidelity and good behaviour, informing me that anything like treachery, or even a mistake on my part, will be visited upon _her_.”
”Poor girl! poor girl!--and poor lad, too, for that matter!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the skipper. ”Forgive me, Ned, if for a moment I fancied that you had been led astray by those scoundrels and tempted to cast in your lot with them. I might have known better; but this mutiny seems somehow to have strained my mental faculties until sometimes I almost think they are stranded and ready to carry away altogether. It is the first time that anything of the kind ever happened to me; the first time. Ah, well!-- but I must not let these thoughts run away with me; our time together is short, and I have one or two questions to ask you. And, first of all, when and where did you land the pa.s.sengers?”
”We landed them yesterday,” answered Ned; ”did you not know it? I thought it would be quite impossible to keep that fact from your knowledge.”
”No, Ned, not quite impossible. I heard the boats lowered, and caught a few words here and there, which gave me an idea of what was happening; but we were shut up here with that surly fellow, Carrol, as guard over us, and he would neither tell us anything nor allow us to so much as glance out through the side-light to ascertain for ourselves what was going on. So you landed them yesterday, eh?”
”Yes,” said Ned; ”on an island exactly one hundred miles due west of us--”
”Stop a moment,” interrupted the skipper; ”let me make a mental note of that. 'One hundred miles due west of us;' that is to say, one hundred miles due west of the island where we are going to be landed. Is that it?”
Ned nodded.
”Very well,” continued the skipper, ”I shall remember that. Do you think you can bear that in mind, Mr Manners?”
”Certainly, sir,” answered Manners. ”That is an easy thing to remember.”
”Very well,” said his superior. ”Now go on, Ned, and tell us what the island is like.”
Ned gave as accurate a description as he could of the place, supplementing it with a careful pencil sketch from memory on a leaf torn from his pocket-book, showing the island as it would appear to a person approaching it from the eastward, and winding up with the statement that he believed it would be possible to distinguish the top of the mountain--the highest point of the island--from the spot where they were, on a clear day.
”Thank you, Ned; that is capital,” said the skipper, with renewed animation, as the lad finished his statement and handed over the sketch.
”Now,” he continued, ”do you know what I mean to do?”