Part 21 (1/2)

”There wasn't a great deal down in the cargo sheets, and, any way, until they'd hove the oil out they couldn't come at it.”

”You are still sure about the gum yourself?”

Jefferson laughed softly. ”I think I am. I don't quite know where it is, but the skipper got it--a good deal of it.”

”Still, the steamer would be worth a persistent effort. There was no doubt about her being there.”

”No,” said Jefferson, with a little gesture of comprehension. ”Now I know just what you mean. You're wondering, since those men couldn't heave her off, what's the use of us trying. Well, specialists make their mistakes now and then, just like other men, and they took it for granted that things were normal when they were there. From what I've seen of the sand strips and the marks on the mangrove trunks, I don't think they were. You see, there's a good deal we don't know about the tides yet, and the Guinea stream doesn't always run quite the same along this coast; while, when there's less than usual of the southwest winds that help it along, it's quite likely to mean two or three feet less water in these creeks. Then you can have a wet season that's a little drier than the other ones, and it's fresh water here--the tide just backs it up.”

”Then you're counting on the present season being a normal one?”

”Yes,” said Jefferson quietly. ”I've staked all I have on it--and a good deal more than that. If it isn't, I might as well have pitched my forty thousand dollars into the sea.”

He stopped a moment, and then laid a little grey object in Austin's palm. ”What d'you make of that?”

Austin started as he looked at it. ”A pistol bullet!”

”Exactly,” said Jefferson. ”It has been through the barrel, too; you can see the score of the rifling. I picked it up along the trail, but I don't know how long it lay there, or who fired it. Still, the n.i.g.g.e.rs don't carry pistols. Well, it's about time I was getting back on board if we're to start the pump to-night.”

Austin glanced at him sharply, and noticed that there was a suggestion of tension in his voice, though his face was quiet. It was evident that a good deal would depend upon the result of the first few hours'

pumping, for unless it lowered the water there would be little probability of their floating the steamer. Neither of them, however, said anything further, and when they went back to the beach where the oil was, Jefferson steamed away in the launch, and Austin, who was left with two Canarios, lay down in the shadow of a strip of tarpaulin. The Spaniards, tired with their morning's labour, went to sleep; and Austin, who filled his pipe several times, found the hours pa.s.s very slowly.

There was nothing to hold his attention--only glaring sand, dingy, dim green mangroves, and tiers of puncheons with patches of whitewash clinging to them. It flung back an intolerable brightness that hurt his aching eyes, and he became sensible of a feverish impatience as he lay watching the shadows lengthen.

His thoughts were with Jefferson, who was, no doubt, now getting steam on the locomotive boiler and coupling up the big pump. Unless the latter did what they expected of it, the toil they had undergone, and Jefferson's eight thousand pounds, would have been thrown away. That was very evident, but Austin wondered a little at himself as his impatience grew upon him, until it was only by an effort he held himself still.

It was not the quarter share Jefferson offered him which had brought him there, for he realised that even with five thousand pounds he would still be, to all intents and purposes, a poor man, and his life on board the _Estremedura_ had, in most respects, been one that suited him. He had, in fact, not greatly cared whether the _c.u.mbria_ could be floated or not, when he came out, but since then Jefferson's optimism, or something that was born of the toil they had undertaken, had laid hold of him, and now he was almost as anxious as his comrade that their efforts should result in success. In fact, he was feverishly anxious, and felt that if it would gain them anything he would willingly stake his life on the venture. Then he smiled as he remembered that he had, without quite realising it, done so already.

Still, the long, hot afternoon dragged away, and when the sun dipped, and black darkness closed down upon the creek, the launch came clanking up to the beach. She brought two Canarios as well as Bill, the fireman, and Austin's voice was eager as he greeted the latter.

”Have you got the pump going yet?” he asked.

”No,” said Bill. ”Tom and Mr. Jefferson was packing something when I came away. He'd given her a spin, and found the engine blowing at a gland.”

Austin asked him nothing further, but drove the launch at top speed through the blackness that shrouded the misty creek, and walked straight to where Jefferson was standing when he reached the _c.u.mbria_. The red glow from the open fire-door of the locomotive boiler fell upon him, and there were signs of tension in his face, while the red trickle from a hand he had apparently injured smeared his torn jacket. Steam was roaring from a valve beside him, and Austin could scarcely hear him when he turned to the donkey-man.

”Shut the fire-door. She'll go now,” he said. ”I'll let her shake down for a minute or two, and then we'll give her everything.”

He walked forward towards where the light of a lamp fell upon the casing of the pump, which looked like a huge iron drum considerably flattened in. Then he touched a valve, and the machine became animate with a low pulsatory wheezing, while something commenced to hum and rattle inside it. The sound swelled into a fierce rhythmic whirring, the great iron case vibrated, and Austin could feel the rails he leaned on tremble.

Jefferson turned and looked at him with a little smile, while he laid a hand, as it were, affectionately upon the pump.

”Yes,” he said, ”I've made her go, and she's going to earn me eighty thousand dollars. She's drawing air just now. Heave your hat down, and see if she'll take it along.”

Austin, who became sensible that a little draught was shaking his duck trousers, did as Jefferson suggested, and the big felt hat rolled and flopped in a ludicrous fas.h.i.+on along the deck. Then it seemed to spring forward into the blackness, and groping after it, he found it glued to the iron grid which was screwed to the end of a big pipe. It was with some little difficulty he tore it loose. Then he saw Jefferson swing up one hand.

”Easy, while she's getting her first drink; then, if she's spouting full, you can let her hum,” he said, and turned to Austin. ”Now, come down with me.”

They went down together into the musty hold, and when somebody lowered the big hose after them, Jefferson, standing upon the ladder, seized the rope, and looked up at the Canarios cl.u.s.tering round the hatch above.

”Where's that rake you made?” he said.

It was handed him, and Austin glanced down at the water, which glistened oilily under the light of a suspended lamp. It was thick with floating grease and strewn with fragments of rotten bags.