Part 13 (1/2)

”Wall, I suppose you're right,” half whimpered the man, ”for we're getting tidy nigh now, and I don't want anything to go wrong through my chaps making a mistake. I'll chance it, so you'd best get aboard your vessel. Tell the skipper I shall do it just at daylight. Less than half-an-hour now. Then'll be the time.”

”One moment,” said Murray, as the lieutenant was about to give the order for the c.o.xswain to unhook and let the cutter glide back to the sloop.

”Yes, mister; what is it?”

”What's that dull roaring sound?”

”Roaring sound? One of them howling baboon beasts in the woods perhaps.

Calling its mates just before sunrise.”

”No, no; I mean that--the sound of water.”

”Oh, _that_!” said the man. ”Yes, yew can hear it quite plain, and we're nigher than I thought. That's on my ground over yonder. Bit of a fall that slops over from the river and turns a little sugar-mill I've got. There, cast off and tell your skipper to look out and be smart.

Less than half-an-hour I shall be taking yew round a big point there is here, and as soon as it's light enough when yew get round, yew'll be able to see the chief's huts and thatched barracks where he cages his blackbirds, while the schooner will be anch.o.r.ed out in front, waiting for you to have sailed away. Her skipper will be taken all on the hop.

He'll never think of seeing you drop upon him.”

”He'll never suspect that the way up the river will be found out?” said the lieutenant.

”That's it, mister; but you'll tell your skipper to be spry and careful, for if yew don't do it right it'll be death to me.”

”I see,” said the lieutenant rather hoa.r.s.ely from excitement. ”Now then, my man, cast off.”

”One moment,” said the American, and Murray saw him through the paling moonlight raise his hand as if to wipe his brow. ”You quite understand, then? The river gives a big bend round to left, then another to the right, and then one more to the left, jest like a wriggling wum. Tell your skipper to follow me close so as to run by me as soon as he sees the schooner lying at anchor. She'll come into sight all at once from behind the trees like, and whatever you do, run close aboard and grapple her. Her skipper'll have no time to show fight if you do your work to rights. I'm all of a tremble about it, I tell yew, for it means so much to me. There; my work's jest about done, and I'm going to run for the sh.o.r.e out of the way. I don't want the Portygee to get so much as a sniff of me.”

”Cast off,” said the lieutenant; and as the cutter dropped back free, the lugger seemed to spring forward into faint mist, which began to show upon the broad surface of the great river, while the sloop glided up alongside, one of the men caught the rope that was heaved to them, and directly after Murray missed their pilot and his swift craft, for it was eclipsed by the _Seafowl_ as she glided between, right in the lugger's wake.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

TRAPPED.

”Well, Mr Anderson,” said the captain, as the latter briefly related the last sayings of the American, ”that's all plain enough, and in a few minutes we ought to be alongside.”

”Yes, sir, after following the windings of the river, or in other words following our guide, till we see the masts of the schooner above the trees.” And the lieutenant stood anxiously watching the lugger, which seemed to have rapidly increased its distance. ”I presume, sir, that we are all ready for action?”

”Of course we are, Mr Anderson,” said the captain stiffly. ”We shall keep on till we are pretty close, then run up into the wind, and you and Mr Munday will head the boarders. We shall take them so by surprise that there will be very little resistance. But I see no signs of the schooner's spars yet.”

”No, sir, but we have to make another bend round yet.”

”Yes, of course,” said the captain, as he swept the river banks with his night gla.s.s.

”The river seems to fork here, though, sir,” said the lieutenant anxiously.

”Humph! Yes; but I suppose it's all right, for the lugger keeps on. We must be on the correct course if we follow him.”

”Beg pardon, sir,” said Murray excitedly. ”I caught sight of the masts of a vessel lying yonder.”

”Eh? Where, Mr Murray?” said the captain, in a low voice full of excitement.