Part 4 (1/2)
”None whatever,” replied Miss Gentle, laughing.
”Well, then, to let you understand my feelings, I shall explain. I have a brother--a dear little fellow like mys--ah, excuse me; I did not mean _dear_ like myself, but _little_. Well, he is a naturalist. He lives in London, and is not a very successful naturalist; indeed, I may say that he is an unfortunate and poor naturalist. Last year he failed. I sent him a small sum of money. He failed again. I sent him more money.
Being a successful diamond-merchant, you see, I could afford to do so.
We are both bachelors; my brother being much older than I am. At last I resolved to send home my whole fortune, and return to live with him, after winding up my affairs. I did so: made up my diamonds into a parcel, and sent it by mail as being the most secure method. Just after doing this, I got a letter informing me of my brother being dangerously ill, and begging me to come to England without delay. I packed up at once, left my partner to wind up the business, and so, here I am, on board the very steamer that carries my diamonds to England.”
”How curious--and how interesting,” said the sympathetic Miss Gentle.
Whatever more she intended to say was checked by a large parti-coloured ball hitting her on the cheek, and falling into her lap. It was followed up and captured with a shriek by the two little Todses and the three little Podses. At the same moment the gong sounded for tea. Thus the conversation came to a close.
The voyage of the _Trident_--with the exception of the gale before referred to--was prosperous until her arrival in the waters of the northern hemisphere. By that time the pa.s.sengers had crystallised into groups, the n.o.bodies and self-forgetting-bodies fraternised, and became more and more friendly as time went on. The uproarious-bodies got up concerts and charades. The hatred of Pods for Tods intensified. The arrogance of Major Beak, and the good-natured modesty of Mr Bright, increased. The noise of Dr Ba.s.soon made the manner of Mr Silky quite agreeable by contrast, while the pride of Lady Tower and Mr Stiff formed a fine, deep-shade to the neutral tint of Miss Gentle, and the high-light of Miss Squeaker.
Gradually, however, feelings began to modify. The squalls and breezes that ruffled the human b.r.e.a.s.t.s on board the _Trident_ moderated in exact proportion as that vessel penetrated and experienced the storms of what should have been named the _in_-temperate zone.
At last they drew near to the sh.o.r.es of Old England, and then there burst upon them a nor-wester, so violent that within the first hour the close-reefed topsails were blown to ribbons, and the foretopmast, with the jib-boom, was carried away. Of course this was a comparatively small matter in a steamer, but when it was afterwards discovered that the vessel had sprung a leak, things began to look more serious.
”It's only a trifle, Miss Gentle; don't alarm yourself. We can put that to rights in a few minutes,” said Major Beak, with the confident air of a man whose nautical education had begun with Noah, and continued uninterruptedly down to the present time.
”He's a hooked-nosed humbug, Miss Gentle, an' knows nothing about it,”
growled the captain.
”Water rising rapidly in the hold, sir,” said the carpenter, coming aft and touching his cap.
”Rig the pumps,” said the captain, and the pumps were rigged. What is more to the purpose, they were wrought with a will by the crew; but in spite of their efforts the water continued to rise.
It might have done a student of human nature good to have observed the effect of this information on the pa.s.sengers. Regarded as a whole the little world became perceptibly paler in the cheeks, and strikingly moderate in tone of voice and manner. Major Beak, in particular, began to talk low, and made no reference whatever to nautical matters, while Mrs Pods looked amiably--almost affectionately--at Mrs Tods.
Of course the pa.s.sengers observed with breathless interest the action of the captain at this crisis. That important personage did his best to stop the leak, but only succeeded in checking it, and it required the constant exertions of the crew night and day at the pumps to reduce the water in the hold even by an inch. In these circ.u.mstances the young men among the pa.s.sengers readily volunteered their services to a.s.sist the crew.
The gale continued and steadily increased. At night the ladies, and such of the pa.s.sengers as were not employed at the pumps, retired to the cabin. Some of those who did not realise the danger of the situation went to bed. Others sat up in the saloon and consoled each other as best they might.
Morning came, but with it came no abatement of the storm. Water and sky seemed mingled together, and were of one uniform tone. It was obvious that the men at the pumps were utterly exhausted, and worst of all the water was beginning to gain slowly on them. The elderly men were now called on to help. It became necessary that all should work for their lives. Miss Bluestocking, who was muscular as well as masculine, rose to the occasion, and suggested that the ladies, so to speak, should man the pumps. Her suggestion was not acted on.
At this point Mr Bright, who had been toiling night and day like an inexhaustible giant, suggested that music might be called in to aid their flagging powers. It was well known that fatigued soldiers on a march are greatly re-invigorated by the band. Major Beak, soaking from head to foot with salt water, almost blind with fatigue and want of sleep, and with the perspiration dropping from the point of his enormous nose, plucked up heart to raise himself and a.s.sert that that was true.
He further suggested that Colonel Blare might play to them on the cornet. But Colonel Blare was incapable by that time of playing even on a penny trumpet. Dr Ba.s.soon was reduced so low as to be obliged to half whisper his incapacity to sing ba.s.s, and as for the great tenor, Lieutenant Limp--a piece of tape was stiffer than his backbone.
”Let the ladies sing to us,” sighed Mr Fiery, who was mere milk and water by that time. ”I'm sure that Mrs Tods and Mrs Pods would be--”
A united shriek of protest from those ladies checked him.
”Or Miss Troolove,” suggested Mr Blurt, on whose stout person the labour told severely.
The lady appealed to, after a little hesitation, began a hymn, but the time was found to be too slow, while the voice, although sweet and true, was too weak.
”Come, let us have one of the `Christy Minstrels',” cried Mr Bright in a lively tone. ”I'm certain Miss Mist can sing one.”
Poor Miss Mist was almost hysterical with fear and prolonged anxiety, but she was an obliging creature. On being a.s.sured that the other ladies would support her, she struck up the ”Land of Dixey,” and was joined in the chorus with so much spirit that those who laboured at the pumps felt like giants refreshed. Explain it how we may, there can be no question that lively music has a wonderful power of sustaining the energies of mankind. With the return of cheerful sensations there revived in some of them the sense of the ludicrous, and it was all that they could do to refrain from laughter as they looked at the forlorn females huddled together, wrapped in rugs and cloaks, drenched to the skin, almost blown from their seats, ghastly with watching and fear, solemn-visaged in the last degree, and yet singing ”Pop goes the weasel,” and similar ditties, with all the energy of despair.
We paint no fanciful picture. We describe facts, and there is no saying how far the effect of that music might have helped in the saving of the s.h.i.+p, had not an event occurred which rendered further efforts unnecessary.
The captain, who had either lost his reckoning or his head, or both, was seen to apply himself too frequently to a case-bottle in the cabin, and much anxiety began to be felt as to his capacity to manage the vessel.