Part 13 (2/2)

”I don't like, sir,” I said, as soon as he had given orders to four men to follow us, and the next minute we were climbing up to stand upon the deck.

”No doubt about it,” said Mr Brooke through his teeth. ”She has been plundered, and then left to drift ash.o.r.e or to burn.”

For there from the forehold curled up the pillar of smoke we had seen, and a dull crackling noise came up, telling that, though slowly, the fire was steadily burning.

We could not see much below for the smoke, and Mr Brooke led the way forward to the forecastle hatch, which lay open.

”Below! Any one there?” cried my officer, but all was silent as the grave.

One of the men looked at him eagerly.

”Yes, jump down.”

The man lowered himself down into the dark forecastle, and made a quick inspection.

”Any one there?”

”No, sir. Place clear and the men's kits all gone.”

”Come up.”

We went aft, to find the hatches all off and thrown about anyhow, while the cargo had been completely cleared out, save one chest of tea which had been broken and the contents had scattered.

”No mistake about it, Herrick,” said Mr Brooke; and he went on to the after-hatch, which was also open and the lading gone.

The next minute we were at the companion-way, and Mr Brooke hailed again, but all was still. Just then the man peering over my shoulder sniffed sharply like some animal.

The sound sent a shudder through me, and Mr Brooke turned to the man sharply--

”Why did you do that?”

”Beg pardon, sir,” stammered the man; ”I thought that--as if--there was--”

He did not finish.

”Come on,” said Mr Brooke sternly, while I shuddered again, and involuntarily my nostrils dilated as I inhaled the air, thinking the while of a butchered captain and officers lying about, but there was not the faintest odour, and I followed my officer, and then for a moment a horrible sickening sensation attacked me, and I shuddered.

But it all pa.s.sed off, and, myself again directly, I was gazing with the others at the many signs which told us as plainly as if it had been written, that the crew of the unfortunate barque had barricaded themselves in here and made a desperate resistance, for her broken doors lay splintered and full of the marks made by axes and heavy swords. The seats were broken; and bulkheads, cabin windows, and floor were horribly stained here and there with blood, now quite dry and black, but which, after it had been shed, had been smeared about and trampled over; and this in one place was horribly evident, for close up to the side, quite plain, there was the imprint of a bare foot--marked in blood--a great wide-toed foot, that could never have worn a shoe.

”Rather horrid for you, Herrick,” said Mr Brooke in a low voice, as if the traces of death made him solemn; ”but you must be a man now. Look, my lad, what the devils--the savage devils--have done with our poor Scotch brothers!”

”Yes, I see,” I whispered; ”they must have killed them all.”

”But I mean this--there, I mean.”

I looked at him wonderingly as he pointed to the floor, for I did not understand.

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