Part 18 (1/2)
”'It's a throubled drame, Mr Terence, that I have had,' answered Tim, twisting his nose and mouth about in a curious manner, and giving a peculiar wink with his right eye.
”'What is it, man?' I asked. 'Out with your dream.'
”'Well, your honour, it was just this. I dreamt that I went to pay a visit to his holiness the Pope, and a civil old gentleman he was, for he axed me if I'd take some whisky and water, and on course I said yes.
”Hot or cold, Tim?” asked the Pope. ”Hot, your reverence,” says I, and bad luck to me, for by dad, while the Pope went down to the kitchen to get the kettle I awoke; and now, if I'd said cold, I'd have had time to toss off a noggin-full at laste, and it's that throubles me.'
”Now it strikes me, Alick, that your waking imagination is as vivid as Tim's; but don't let it run away with you in this instance. You'll see the _Sarah Jane_ come safe into harbour before you leave it, and have time to wish the young lady the top of the morning, at all events.”
”You are incorrigible, Paddy,” answered Murray, laughing in spite of himself. ”As I have stood all your bantering, I have the right to insist on your coming with me to inspect the _Supplejack_ before you go up to Kingston.”
His two friends of course agreed to the proposal, and their carpet-bags being put into Murray's boat they pulled for the Dockyard at Port Royal.
The _Supplejack_ had her lower yards across, and most of her stores on board. In three or four days she might, by an efficient crew, be got ready for sea. Though Murray would gladly have had a longer delay, duty with him was paramount to every other consideration, and he resolved to use every exertion to expedite her outfit. She was not much of a beauty, they were of opinion; but she looked like a good sea-boat, and Jack thought that she would prove a fast craft, which was of the most consequence. Though rated as a six-gun brig she carried only two carronades, and a third long heavy gun amids.h.i.+ps, which they agreed, under some circ.u.mstances, would be of more avail than the four short guns it had replaced. Terence advised Alick to ask for two more carronades.
”I might not get them if I did ask, so I will make good use, if I have the chance, of those on board,” was the answer.
Captain Hemming had been requested to spare Murray five hands from the frigate. He chose Ben s.n.a.t.c.hblock, the boatswain's-mate, to act as boatswain, a great promotion for Ben, and four others; these, with a dozen hands before belonging to the brig, the rest having died of yellow fever, sent home invalided, or deserted, made up his complement. He had applied for, and obtained old Higson, a former s.h.i.+pmate who had so taken to heart the loss of the three mids.h.i.+pmen that he was anxious for more stirring employment than he could find on board the frigate, likely to be detained for some time at Jamaica, or not to go much farther than Cuba. The other officers were selected from the corvette. The old mate was highly pleased. He had the duty of a first lieutenant, and was one in all respects, except in name, though not to be sure over a very large s.h.i.+p's company. Hard drinker and careless as he had been sometimes on sh.o.r.e, Murray knew that he could trust him thoroughly when responsibility was thrown on his shoulders, and hoped that by being raised in his own estimation he might altogether be weaned of his bad habits.
Jack and Terence sailed up to Kingston with a fresh sea breeze a-beam blowing over the sandy sh.o.r.e of the Palisades.
”Take care you don't capsize us,” said Jack to the black skipper, who carried on till the boat's gunwale was almost under water.
”Neber tink I do dat, ma.s.sa leetenant. Not pleasant place to take swim,” answered the man, with a broad grin on his ebon features, showing his white teeth.
”I think not, indeed,” exclaimed Terence. ”Look there.”
He pointed to a huge shark, its triangular fin just above the surface, keeping two or three fathoms off, even with the boat, at which the monster every now and then, as he declared, gave a wicked leer.
”What do you call that fellow?”
”Dat, ma.s.sa, dat is Port Royal Jack,” answered the negro. ”He keep watch ober de harbour--case buckra sailors swim ash.o.r.e. He no come up much fader when he find out we boat from de sh.o.r.e. See he go away now.”
The shark gave a whisk with his tail, and disappeared in an instant.
The young officers breathed more freely when their ill-omened companion had gone. Almost immediately afterwards a boat belonging to a large merchantman, lying at the mouth of the harbour, ready for sea, pa.s.sed them under all sail. Her crew of eight hands had evidently taken a parting gla.s.s with their friends.
”Dey carry too much canvas wid de grog dey hab aboard,” observed the black. ”Better look out for squalls.”
He hailed, but received only a taunting jeer in return, and the boat sped on her course. Not a minute had pa.s.sed when Jack and Terence heard the negro mate, who was watching the boat, sing out--
”Dere dey go, Jack shark get dem now--eh?”
Looking in the direction the black's chin was pointing, to their horror they saw that the boat had capsized, her masts and sails appearing for an instant as she rapidly went to the bottom, while the people were writhing and struggling on the surface, shrieking out loudly for help.
Jack and Terence ordered the black to put the boat about instantly, and go to their rescue. Nearly two minutes pa.s.sed before they reached the spot. Five men only were floating. The ensanguined hue of the water told too plainly what had been the fate of the others.
”Help! help. For G.o.d's sake, help!” shrieked out a man near them, in an agony of fear. At that instant a white object was seen rising, it seemed, from the bottom. The hapless man threw up his arms, and, uttering a piercing shriek, disappeared beneath the water.
The other four men could swim, but almost paralysed with fear kept crying out for help, without making any effort to save themselves, striking out wildly, round and round, as if they did not see the approaching boat. First one was hauled on board, then another and another. Jack had got hold of the fourth, and was dragging him in when a shark rose from the bottom. The negro boatman's quick eye had espied the monster. He darted down his boat-hook into the open mouth of the shark, which, closing its jaws, bit off the iron and a part of the stock, while, by a violent effort, Jack and Terence jerked the man inboard, thus saving his legs, and probably his life.
They were now directly over the spot where the boat went down, and so clear was the water, the ruddy stains having disappeared, that they could see her as she lay at the bottom. Jack was standing up, when he exclaimed--