Part 36 (1/2)

”This is too serious to allow of mistake. We will not alarm her, then; we will not give any alarm, sir, until certain of the calamity.”

”In that I entirely agree with you,” returned Mr. Sharp who was perfectly calm, though evidently distressed. ”I may be mistaken, and wish your opinion. All on board but us two are in a profound sleep.”

The other drew on his coat, and in a minute both were on deck. The day had not yet dawned, and the light was scarce sufficient to distinguish objects even near as those on the reef, particularly when they were stationary.

The rocks, themselves, however, were visible in places, for the tide was out, and most of the upper portion of the ledge was bare. The two gentlemen moved cautiously to the bows of the vessel, and, concealed by the bulwarks, Mr. Sharp pointed out to his companion the objects that had given him the alarm.

”Do you see the pointed rock a little to the right of the spot where the kedge is placed?” he said, pointing in the direction that he meant. ”It is now naked, and I am quite cenain there was an object on it, when I went below, that has since moved away.”

”It may have been a sea-bird; for we are so near the day, some of them are probably in motion. Was it large?”

”Of the size of a man's head, apparently; but this is by no means all.

Here, farther to the north, I distinguished three objects in motion, wading in the water, near the point where the rocks are never bare.”

”They may have been herons; the bird is often found in these low lat.i.tudes, I believe. I can discover nothing.”

”I would to G.o.d, I may have been mistaken, though I do not think I could be so much deceived.”

Paul Blunt caught his arm, and held it like one who listened intently.

”Heard you that?” he whispered hurriedly.

”It sounded like the clanking of iron.”

Looking around, the other found a handspike, and pa.s.sing swiftly up the heel of the bowsprit, he stood between the knight-heads. Here he bent forward, and looked intently towards the lines of chains which lay over the bulwarks, as bow-fasts. Of these chains the parts led quite near each other, in parallel lines, and as the s.h.i.+p's moorings were taut, they were hanging in merely a slight curve. From the rocks, or the place where the kedges were laid to a point within thirty feet of the s.h.i.+p, these chains were dotted with living beings crawling cautiously upward. It was even easy, at a second look, to perceive that they were men stealthily advancing on their hands and feet.

Raising the handspike, Mr. Blunt struck the chains several violent blows.

The effect was to cause the whole of the Arabs--for it could be no others--suddenly to cease advancing, and to seat themselves astride the chains.

”This is fearful,” said Mr. Sharp; ”but we must die, rather than permit them to reach the s.h.i.+p.”

”We must. Stand you here, and if they advance, strike the chains. There is not an instant to lose.”

Paul Blunt spoke hurriedly, and, giving the other the handspike, he ran down to the bitts, and commenced loosening the chains from their fastenings. The Arabs heard the clanking of the iron-rings, as he threw coil after coil on the deck, and they did not advance. Presently two parts yielded together beneath them, and then two more. These were the signals for a common retreat, and Mr. Sharp now plainly counted fifteen human forms as they scrambled back towards the reef, some hanging by their arms, some half in the water, and others lying along the chains, as best they might. Mr. Blunt having loosened the chains, so as to let their bights fall into the sea, the s.h.i.+p slowly drifted astern, and rode by her cables.

When this was done, the two young men stood together in silence on the forecastle, as if each felt that all which had just occurred was some illusion.

”This is indeed terrible,” exclaimed Paul Blunt. ”We have not even a pistol left! No means of defence--nothing but this narrow belt of water between us and these barbarians! No doubt, too, they have fire-arms; and, as soon as it is light, they will render it unsafe to remain on deck.”

Mr. Sharp took the hand of his companion and pressed it fervently. ”G.o.d bless you!” he said in a stifled voice. ”G.o.d bless you, for even this brief delay. But for this happy thought of yours, Miss Effingham--the others--we should _all_ have been, by this time, at the mercy of these remorseless wretches. This is not a moment for false pride or pitiful deceptions. I think either of us would willingly die to rescue that beautiful and innocent creature from a fate like this which threatens her in common with ourselves?”

”Cheerfully would I lay down my life to be a.s.sured that she was, at this instant, safe in a civilized and Christian country.”

These generous young men squeezed each other's hands, and at that moment no feeling of rivalry, or of compet.i.tion even, entered the heart of either. Both were influenced by a pure and ardent desire to serve the woman they loved, and it would be true to say, that scarce a thought of any but Eve was uppermost in their minds. Indeed so engrossing was their common care in her behalf, so much more terrible than that of any other person did her fate appear on being captured, that they forgot, for the moment, there were others in the s.h.i.+p, and others, too, who might be serviceable in arresting the very calamity they dreaded.

”They may not be a strong party,” said Paul Blunt, after a little thought, ”in which case, failing of a surprise, they may not be able to muster a force sufficient to hazard an open attack until the return of the boats.

We have, G.o.d be praised! escaped being seized in our sleep, and made unconscious victims of so cruel a fate. Fifteen or twenty will scarcely dare attempt a s.h.i.+p of this size, without a perfect knowledge of our feebleness, and particularly of our want of arms. There is a light gun on board, and it is loaded; with this, too, we may hold them at bay, by not betraying our weakness. Let us awake the others, for this is not a moment for sleep. We are safe, at least, for an hour or two; since, without boats, they cannot possibly find the means to board us in less than that time.”

The two young men went below, unconsciously treading lightly, like those who moved about in the presence of an impending danger. Paul Blunt was in advance, and to his great surprise he met Eve at the door of the ladies'

cabin, apparently awaiting their approach. She was dressed, for apprehension, and the novelty of their situation, had caused her to sleep in most of her clothes, and a few moments had sufficed for a hasty adjustment of the toilet. Miss Effingham was pale, but a concentration of all her energies seemed to prevent the exhibition of any womanly terror.