Part 26 (1/2)
”I have asked you to return to your duty; now I order you to do so; and I am going to be obeyed, even if there are some broken heads to bind up afterwards,” replied the captain. ”Briskett, let Paul take the helm and come below.”
”Stand back, and let me pa.s.s” cried Tom, his face flushed with anger.
But instead of standing back, Captain Gordon seized him by the collar and threw him down. This was the signal for Frank to step in, and do battle for his friend. He was a stout fellow, and there was, for a moment, a prospect of a smart little battle but the brawny pilot suddenly destroyed this prospect by laying both hands on the second mutineer, and dragging him on deck. Captain Gordon followed him with Tom, the two other refractory spirits not deeming it prudent to keep the promises they had made on deck only a few moments before.
Captain Gordon tied Tom's hands behind him, and Frank was presently reduced to the same ignominious condition. The other two were ordered to take their places by the side of the prisoners, and they deemed it prudent to obey.
”All hands on deck!” shouted the captain, as he took the helm from Paul.
”Ready to go about!”
All the boys wondered what was to be done next; but the orders were promptly obeyed, and they took their stations as they had been instructed to do when the yacht was to go about. In a few moments the Flyaway, which had by this time pa.s.sed the reef, and was standing up the harbor, was put about, and headed towards the open sea. No one ventured to ask any questions; but as soon as the mate had been restored to the helm, he fastened the prisoners to the rail, and gave the starboard watch orders to finish their dinners, and led the way to the cabin.
”He will have to pay dearly for this,” growled Tom, when the captain had gone below. ”My father is half owner of the Flyaway, and if he doesn't get turned off, it won't be his fault.”
But Frank did not make any reply. His father did not own half the yacht, and he began to think he had ”barked up the wrong tree,” as he afterwards expressed it. He did not exactly know what to make of things, and couldn't understand why the yacht had been put about, and headed towards home. It was rather ominous, and he wished himself out of the sc.r.a.pe, or rather that he had not embarked in such a stupid enterprise.
Captain Gordon finished his dinner in silence, and as his brow looked as stormy as a thundercloud, not one of the boys in his watch cared to question him in regard to his future course.
When the starboard watch had finished their dinner, they went on deck; and the captain ordered d.i.c.k to carry some of the chowder up for the rebellious portion of the other watch, while the mate, and those of his party who ”stuck by the s.h.i.+p,” went below.
When dinner was over, and all hands had returned to the deck, Captain Gordon announced his intention to return to Bayville at once.
”We haven't been gone a week yet,” said Henry Littleton.
”Your father told me, if any serious difficulty occurred on board, to return home without delay. These fellows have chosen to disobey orders the first day out; and I think that is a serious matter.”
”Do you hear that, Tom?” said Frank, in a whisper, to his fellow-prisoner.
”I don't care; the sooner he goes home the sooner will he be discharged.”
”But we shall lose all our fun, any way.”
”Can't help it; I won't be treated like a servant by my father's servant,” replied Tom, loud enough to be heard by the captain.
”Your father can do what he thinks best when I get home, but while I command a vessel all hands obey orders.”
”Come, Tom, don't let us spoil all the fun. We will pay him off at another time. Don't let us break up the cruise,” whispered Frank. ”He's got us where the hair is short, and we can't help ourselves.”
Tom at first refused to ”back down,” as he and his party elegantly expressed it; but Frank's suggestion to pay him off at another time at last prevailed with him, and he consented to join with his companions in trouble in an apology to Captain Gordon, and a promise to obey orders without grumbling in future. Frank therefore made overtures for a capitulation; but the captain at first declined to listen to them, and it was only upon the urgent request of the rest of the party that he finally consented to pardon the offenders and continue the cruise. It was only because he did not like to punish the innocent with the guilty, he declared, that he reversed his former decision; but if any further difficulty occurred, they would know what to expect.
CHAPTER XVII.
PAUL DISCOVERS THAT MISCHIEF IS BREWING.
It was with more than the usual alacrity that the crew flew to their stations when the order was given to come about, and the Flyaway was soon retracing her course towards Gloucester. It was about sunset when this step was taken, and the yacht was some ten or twelve miles from Norman's Reef. She would have made a quick run of this distance, but the wind had all died out, and there was a perfect calm upon the sea. There was but little prospect of their getting to Gloucester that night, and they were too far out to anchor.
Before dark the captain had some misgivings as to the propriety of his course in continuing the cruise, for Tom and his companions seemed to be sulky, and he had several times observed them in close communication on the forecastle. But he felt perfectly competent to manage them, however refractory they might prove to be; yet he feared their misconduct would destroy all the pleasure of the trip. He resolved to treat them as well as though nothing had happened, but at the same time to keep a sharp lookout upon them.